Kerala High Court Directs Family Courts To Mask The Name Of Adoptive Parents When Issuing Certified Copies Of Orders

In a recent judgment, the Kerala High Court directed the Registrar (District Judiciary) to issue necessary directions to all family courts in the state to mask the name of adoptive parents while issuing certified copies of orders.

While hearing a case pertaining to the correctness of a procedure for surrender and adoption, a Division Bench of Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and Dr Kauser Edappagath noted that the certified copy of an order issued by the Family Court disclosed the names of the adoptive parents.

Highlighting that the Adoption Regulations, 2017 under the Juvenile Justice Act (Protection and Care of Children) Act, 2015 required that the confidentiality of adoptive parents had to be maintained in public portal and adoption records, as per Regulation 45.

Therefore, the Court issued the following direction:

"We direct the Registrar (District Judiciary) to give necessary directions to all the Family Courts in the State to mask the names of adoptive parents while issuing the certified copies."

Privacy of Parties

The Court also took the opportunity to call for the masking of names in sensitive matters in order to protect their privacy.

While the remark was made specifically in the context of the case that was being adjudicated by the Bench, the Court also issued a general direction stating that publishing the names of parties is prohibited without their consent.

The Court said,

"In order to protect the privacy of parties involved, the parties name shall be masked while uploading the judgment. Publishing the names of parties is prohibited without their consent."

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