Only state can decide on surrogate kids: HC

Plea on handing over babies to commissioned parents rejected

The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday made it clear that it was for the state government to take a decision in accordance with the law on handing over children born of surrogacy to their commissioned parents.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice T. Rajani was dealing with a suo motu taken up case based on a letter by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait to the Chief Justice of High Court referring to reports published in this newspaper on June 19, 2017 with regard to police raids on Sai Kiran Hospital and Kiran Infertility Centre in the city following a tip-off that the hospital was conducting surrogacy procedures without following due norms.

During the hearing of the case, counsel appearing for one of commissioned parents brought to the notice of the bench that some of the surrogate mothers have recently given birth to baby girls and the commissioned parents were

DURING THE hearing, counsel for one of commissioned parents told the court that some of the surrogate mothers have recently given birth and were willing to hand over the babies to the commissioned parents prepared to take custody of these newborns and the surrogate mothers were also prepared to hand them over to their commissioned parents.

He urged the court to direct the state government to hand over the babies.

The bench said that it would not pass any such order as it was for the government to take a decision keeping safety and security of the surrogate mothers and babies in view.

B.S. Prasad, counsel for the medical and health department informed the court that the government has arranged ultra scanning machines in the hospital and a team of doctors was visiting the centre every week to monitor the facilities providing to 48 surrogate mothers and also conducting health checks.

When counsels for the hospital and commissioned parents complained to the court that certain vernacular TV channels aired visuals of the surrogate mothers, the bench said that the media has to maintain restrain with regard to the privacy of surrogate mothers and their babies.

Counsel for the hospital submitted that they are maintaining the infertility centre in accordance with rules.