Karnataka High Court
Smt. Rajitha D vs Union Of India on 8 February, 2024
Author: M.Nagaprasanna
Bench: M.Nagaprasanna
-1-
NC: 2024:KHC:5311
WP No. 2856 of 2024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2024
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA
WRIT PETITION NO. 2856 OF 2024 (GM-RES)
BETWEEN:
1. SMT. RAJITHA D
W/O SATHISH BABU D N
AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS
2. SRI SATHISH BABU D N
S/O NARAYANAREDDY
AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS
BOTH ARE RESIDING AT NO.98,
4TH WARD, CHOUWDESHWARI TEMPLE ROAD,
DOMMASANDRA, BANGALORE - 560016
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. ABHIRAJ B. CHENGTI, ADVOCATE)
Digitally signed by AND:
PADMAVATHI B K
Location: HIGH
COURT OF 1. UNION OF INDIA
KARNATAKA
THROUGH MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE NIRMAN BHAVAN,
NEW DELHI - 110011 (THROUGH ITS SECRETARY )
2. THE KARNATAKA STATE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY
ART AND SURROGACY ACT,
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE,
AROGYA SOUDHA,
BENGALURU KARNATAKA - 560023
(THROUGH ITS MEMBER SECRETARY )
-2-
NC: 2024:KHC:5311
WP No. 2856 of 2024
3. THE DISTRICT MEDICAL BOARD
CONSTITUTED UNDER SURROGACY (REGULATIONS)
ACT, 2021, K C GENERAL HOSPITAL,
MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE
KARNATAKA - 560003
(THROUGH ITS CHAIRPERSON)
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SMT. SADHANA S. DESAI, CGC FOR R1;
SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR, AGA FOR R2 AND R3)
THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE
IMPUGNED NOTIFICATION DTD 14.03.2023 BEARING
NO.GSR.179(E) ISSUED BY R1 PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-H AS
BEING ULTRA VIRES THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA,
SURROGACY (REGULATIONS) ACT, 2021 AND ETC.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY
HEARING, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
ORDER
The petitioners are before this Court, seeking the
following prayers:
"I. Issue Writ of Certiorari quashing the impugned
notification dated 14.03.2023 bearing No.
GSR.179(E) issued by Respondent No.1 produced
at ANNEXURE H as being ultra vires the constitution
of India, Surrogacy (Regulations) Act, 2021.
II. Issue a Writ of mandamus or any other writ, order
or direction, directing the respondent No. 3 to
rectify the surrogacy certificate Dated 09.10.2024
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bearing no.KCGH/Surrgocy/ 117/2023-24 issued in
favour of petitioners produced at ANNEXURE K and
allow them to go for surrogacy with donor
eggs/Oocytes.
III. Issue a Writ of mandamus or any other writ, order
or direction, directing the respondent No.2 to issue
Eligibility and Essentiality Certificates on fulfillment
of all the other conditions laid down under the
surrogacy (Regulations) Act, 2021 and allow
petitioners to go for altruistic surrogacy with donor
eggs/Oocytes.
IV. Issue such other order/directions/relief as this
Hon'ble court may deem fit to grant in the
circumstances of the case."
2. Heard Sri. Abhiraj B. Chengti, learned counsel
appearing for the petitioners, Smt. Sadhana S. Desai, learned
CGC appearing for respondent No.1, Smt. Navya Shekhar,
learned AGA appearing for respondent No.2 and have perused
the material on record.
3. The relief sought by the petitioners in the subject
petition is identical to the one that was sought in
W.P.No.15824/2023, which is disposed by permitting surrogacy
on manifold reasons. The order passed in W.P.No.15824/2023,
disposed on 18.11.2023, reads as follows:
"(i) Writ Petition is allowed in part.
(ii) The challenge to the notification dated
14-03-2023 is left unanswered, as the challenge
NC: 2024:KHC:5311
to it is pending consideration before the Apex
Court.
(iii) For the reasons rendered in the course of the
order, the notification dated 14-03-2023 is
declared inapplicable to the case of the
petitioners.
(iv) The petitioners are entitled to opt for surrogacy
for the reasons rendered in the course of the
order.
(v) The petitioners would become entitled to opt for
surrogacy, subject to them fulfilling all other
conditions and requirements under the statute,
except the one that is in the notification dated 14-
03-2023.
(vi) In the light of the findings rendered in the course
of the order, the Authorities cannot insist or direct
the petitioners that the donor gamete cannot be
made use of by the intending couple. The
Authorities shall forthwith process the applications,
if any and issue Eligibility Certificate/Essentiality
Certificate, if the intending couple would fulfil all
other conditions."
The aforesaid order was passed on account of the health
condition as prayed by the petitioners in the document
appended to the writ petition in the case at hand as well. The
medical condition of the petitioners are intending mother
through surrogacy are also the one that is considered in the
aforesaid writ petition. The medical certificate reads as follows:
" .....
The District Medical Board Examined the
available medical reports on records of the
intending couple (Husband/Wife) and hereby
certify that the Smt. Rajitha.C and Sri. Satishbabu.D
satisfy the provision as per rule 14(c), (d) of The
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Surrogacy (Regulation) rules, 2022. In view of
intending mother 36 years with "History of primary
infertility diagnosed with deep infiltrating
endometriosis with frozen pelvis with right tubal
block, known case of hypothyroidism, with one
failed IUI hence she can undergo Altruistic
surrogacy procedure as an advanced treatment for
infertility with their own gametes as per recent
surrogacy amendment act of 14th march 2023."
(emphasis added)
Therefore, the issue stands covered on all its fours to the
judgment rendered by this Court in W.P.No.15824/2023.
4. For the very reasons rendered to allow surrogacy in
W.P.N.15824/2023, this petition deserves to succeed, and
granting of the same relief.
5. For the aforesaid reasons, the following:
ORDER
(i) Writ Petition is allowed-in-part.
(ii) The challenge to the notification dated
14-03-2023 is left unanswered, as the
challenge to it is pending consideration before
the Apex Court.
(iii) For the reasons rendered in the course of the
order, the notification dated 14-03-2023 is
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declared inapplicable to the case of the
petitioners.
(iv) The petitioners are entitled to opt for
surrogacy for the reasons rendered in the
course of the order.
(v) The petitioners would become entitled to opt
for surrogacy, subject to them fulfilling all
other conditions and requirements under the
statute, except the one that is in the
notification dated 14-03-2023.
(vi) In the light of the findings rendered in the
course of the order, the Authorities cannot
insist or direct the petitioners that the donor
gamete cannot be made use of by the
intending couple. The Authorities shall
forthwith process the applications, if any and
issue Eligibility Certificate/Essentiality
Certificate, if the intending couple would fulfill
all other conditions.
Sd/-
JUDGE
SJK
