The Surrogacy Regulation Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha in 2016. (Representational)
The surrogacy bill that was introduced in Lok Sabha in 2016 was passed today amid noisy protests by Congress and AIADMK parliamentarians over other issues. The bill bans commercial surrogacy and only allows it among close relatives. The proposed law allows surrogacy for couples that cannot have children. Health Minister JP Nadda said the aim of the bill was to stop commercial surrogacy but at the same time save families by allowing them to have children by using modern science.
Here are 10 things to know on the surrogacy bill:
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 was passed in Lok Sabha today with a voice vote amid several adjournments over other issues.
The bill ensures regulation of surrogacy in India, prohibiting commercial surrogacy. It allows altruistic surrogacy to Indian married couple who cannot bear children.
The bill says the surrogate mother and the couple that wants to have her child must be close relatives.
It provides for the formation of a National Surrogacy Board, State Surrogacy Boards and appointment of appropriate authorities for the regulation of the practice of surrogacy.
The surrogate mother and the intending couple need eligibility certificates from the appropriate authority.
The bill allows only Indian citizens to avail of surrogacy. Foreigners, non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin are banned from seeking surrogate mothers in the country.
Homosexuals, single parents, and live-in couples are also not allowed to have children via surrogacy in India.
Couples that already have children will not be allowed to go for surrogacy, though they would be free to adopt children under a separate law.
Health Minister JP Nadda said different sections of society, political parties, the Supreme Court and the Law Commission have spoken against commercial surrogacy, and the bill addresses these concerns. The rules and regulations of the proposed law will define close relatives, Mr Nadda added.
NCP leader Supriya Sule said it was a good bill but not modern enough. Trinamool Congress leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said same sex couples should also be allowed to have a child through surrogacy. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab said surrogacy industry had been thriving due to regulatory gap. He asked the government to define who close relatives can be.
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