Chandrapur collector clears 11 pending adoption cases in a day; one orphan goes to Malta parents
Collector Vasumana Pant issued adoption orders in all 11 pending cases in a single day after the Bombay High Court upheld the collector's final-order power.
Pending adoption cases in Chandrapur are being cleared faster. On the orders of District Collector Vasumana Pant, 11 pending cases in the district were disposed of in a single day.
Of the 11 cases, four involve adoption within the family, four involve adoption by a stepmother or stepfather, and three involve orphaned children. One of the three orphaned children found parents living in Malta, in Europe. The parents of the second child are from Hubballi in Karnataka, and those of the third are from Thane in Maharashtra.
The power to pass the final order in adoption cases now rests with the district collector. This power followed a Bombay High Court order of May 4, 2026. Under an amendment made in 2021 to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, district collectors had been given the power to pass final orders in adoption cases.
Writ Petition No. 32065/2022 was filed in the Bombay High Court against this provision. In its order of May 4, 2026, the High Court upheld the validity of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021) and related provisions. Accordingly, under the Adoption Regulations, 2022, the power to pass the final order in adoption cases lies with the district collector.
Following the ruling, a total of 11 pending cases of the Chandrapur District Court were sent to the Chandrapur District Collector for final orders. Under the guidance of District Women and Child Development Officer Meenakshi Bhasme, District Child Protection Officer Ajay Sakharkar and Legal-cum-Probation Officer Sachindra Naik of the District Child Protection Unit carried out the necessary inquiry in all the cases.
The prospective adoptive parents were then presented before Collector Vasumana Pant. After the required procedure was completed, the collector issued adoption orders in all 11 cases on the same day and disposed of them.
Earlier, in 2022, one adoption case was disposed of on the orders of the Chandrapur District Collector. After that, adoption cases were being handled through the district court because of court proceedings.
With the final-order power now with the collector, the adoption process is expected to become easier and faster. The delays faced by prospective adoptive parents are also expected to reduce.
District Child Protection Officer Ajay R. Sakharkar has appealed to the public to get in touch for more information on the adoption process. The address is the District Child Protection Unit, office of the District Women and Child Development Officer, behind Akashvani, near the District Stadium, Saibaba Ward, Chandrapur. People can also call the Childline toll-free number 1098.
