Delhi HC asks Centre to explain exclusion of single, unmarried women from surrogacy law
The Hindu
The Delhi High Court asked the Centre to explain the exclusion of single, unmarried women from availing the benefit of the surrogacy procedure under the law
The Delhi High Court asked the Centre on October 16 to explain the exclusion of single, unmarried women from availing the benefit of the surrogacy procedure under the law.
Noting that an "intending woman" under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 means an Indian woman who is a "widow" or "divorcee", a bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma questioned the rationale behind associating the marital status of a woman with her eligibility to undergo the procedure.
"Why marital status for intending woman? [Even if] she [the widow or divorcee] has no matrimonial life, why this discrimination?" the bench, also comprising Justice Sanjeev Narula, asked.
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The Centre's lawyer said she would seek instructions on the query.
The lawyer appearing in the court on behalf of the National Medical Commission (NMC), T Singhdev, said he too would examine the issue.
The court was hearing a petition filed by a 44-year-old single, unmarried woman challenging section 2(1)(s) of the Act, which excludes women like herself from availing the surrogacy procedure while only allowing an Indian widow or female divorcee to take the benefit of the same.