ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ADOPTION LAWS

Date : 06/01/2024

In the course of transit from primitive to modern age, the concept of adoption has undergone a radical change. Adoption, being mostly like other social institutions is essentially a product of historical and evolutionary process. Reforms related to the old Hindu law were seen and one of them was in guise of a codified law on adoptions, called as Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956. Section 2 of HAMA allows any person who comes within the definition of ‘Hindu’ to be eligible to take a child for adoption. Various progressive changes were brought by this new codified law like adoption by female Hindu, girl child being eligible for adoption etc.


The reason why the concept of adoption was brought was giving the right to family for the orphan, abandoned and surrendered children. The objective behind bringing this concept was to secure performance of one’s funeral rights and to preserve the continuation of one’s lineage. In order to restore the family life to a child deprived of his or her biological family, the concept of adoption was considered the best means.