Elders seek amendments to surrogacy Bill

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 20

Cutting across party lines, members of the Rajya Sabha today asked for changes in certain provisions of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, which mandates that only a close relative can be a surrogate mother and commissioning parents should be married for five years.

Some MPs from opposition also demanded that the government should send the proposed legislation to a select committee of the House for better scrutiny and weeding out of certain lacunae in the Bill.

Although the Bill was supported by most members, modifications were sought in provisions such as the time frame for abortion, age and prior informed consent.

Some of the members also sought provisions for allowances and insurance along with maternity leave for the surrogate mother.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had yesterday introduced the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, in the Upper House. It was passed by the Lok Sabha in the monsoon session.

Participating in the debate, Jairam Ramesh said it was a “very complicated Bill” and the government should get an amended one passed after considering the suggestions of the members. “We all agree that surrogacy should be regulated but in what form, it is still debated,” said Ramesh, adding that the Bill should have come after the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill as “the government is dealing with surrogacy but not with the technology of surrogacy”.

P Wilson of the DMK said the Bill had provisions for permission for abortion within 90 days, but sometimes there were cases of medical emergency and surrogate mother could not wait for that period.