Ministry:
Law and Justice
- The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on April 22, 2010 by the Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Veerappa Moily. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice, which is scheduled to submit its report within two months.
- The Bill seeks to amend the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
- The Bill amends the 1890 Act to include the mother along with father as a fit person to be appointed as a guardian of a minor.
- The Bill amends the 1956 Act to allow any Hindu female who is not a minor and is of sound mind to adopt a son or a daughter. A woman whose husband is living and is of sound mind will also need the consent of the husband to adopt. Both father and mother have equal right to give up a child for adoption but they need the consent of each other unless one of them is of unsound mind or has renounced the world or is no more a Hindu.
