In a major setback to the government today, the parliamentary panel reviewing the surrogacy Bill asked the government to permit commercial surrogacy and allow the service not just for married Indian couples but also live-in partners, single/ divorced women, widows and NRIs and OCIs. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health has virtually overturned every major provision of the Surrogacy Regulation Bill 2016, questioning the government rationale in saying that only a close relative of the intending couples can serve as a surrogate mother. The panel has said both related and unrelated women should be allowed to become surrogates.
The Wire Surrogacy Bill Should Be Broadened, Include Compensation, Says Parliamentary Panel.The Wire Calling the draft surrogacy Bill ‘narrow’, the parliamentary committee has recommended allowing live-in couples, divorced women and widows to use surrogates, adding that a surrogate should not have to belong to the parent’s family.
