NEW DELHI: The SC on Friday issued notice to the Centre and sought its response on a plea seeking framing of a law for joint parenting of a child in the event of a divorce. The petitioner insisted that the affection of both father and mother was important for the child even after their separation.
A bench of Justices S A Bobde and B R Gavai issued notice to the Centre on the plea which sought a slew of directions to Child Welfare Committees and family courts for implementation of shared parenting in cases of divorce, marital disputes or unmarried parents so that the child is directly in contact with both the parents for his or her well being.
At the outset, the bench was not inclined to hear the matter saying it was a matter for Parliament to look into. But the petition, filed by NGO Save Child India Foundation through advocate Rajiv Mangla, claimed that the rising trend of divorce and separation necessitated that children’s rights are secured as owing to parental alienation, they are the most affected and neglected.
“It has been observed by various courts that the breakdown of marriage is not the end of being a parent, but parental responsibility still continues,” the petition said.