Overview

• The Bombay High Court has initiated suo motu proceedings to address prolonged adoption delays, citing a 3.5-year average waiting period for prospective parents.
• Notices have been issued to the Union of India, state governments, and the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) to file affidavits addressing the issue.
• Currently, 35,701 prospective adoptive parents are registered, but only 2,435 children are available for adoption, reflecting a severe supply-demand imbalance.
• The court has appointed senior counsel Milind Sathe and advocate Gaurav Shrivastava as amici curiae to assist in identifying procedural and structural reforms.
• Further hearings are scheduled for June 23, 2025, to evaluate proposed solutions for streamlining the adoption process nationwide.