I think we should not deprive any human being who deserves or wants to have a child. "This is something we, as a society, need to introspect. She said that because of adoption rules of 2017, single men cannot adopt a girl and that is why they cannot avail this bill's benefits.
Welcoming the bill, NCP's Supriya Sule said that besides couples, there are a cross-section of people in this country who want to have a child, especially the LGBTQ community and single men. "They have a right to be parents too," they said. Responding to a demand by a member that single men should be allowed to use the procedure, he said the matter relates to the overall development of the child.ĭuring the discussion, BSP's Sangeeta Azad and TMC's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar raised the issue of exclusion of single parents and the LGBTQ community from using this procedure. Minister Mandaviya also said a single mother could get the "benefit" of the proposed ART law. Speaker Om Birla ruled that since the surrogacy bill is not pending in the Lok Sabha, the ART bill can be taken up and passed by the Lower House. Responding to this, Minister Mandaviya said the surrogacy bill was already passed in the Lok Sabha and now it is in the Rajya Sabha, and immediately after that "we brought this ART bill" and both the bills would now be taken up in the Upper House together. My point is that this bill cannot be taken into consideration, this bill cannot be discussed," he said.
How can this House pass a law that depends upon another law. " A surrogacy bill is pending in the Upper House that has not been passed. Some members also said since a bill on surrogacy is pending in the Rajya Sabha and the two draft legislations are inter-linked, both should be passed together.ĪLSO READ: Parliament Winter Session: Opposition, govt lock horns over suspension of 12 MPs | What’s on table todayĭuring the discussion, RSP's N K Premachandran raised a point of order on an issue related to the ART bill which is dependent upon another bill.
For subsequent contraventions, these offences will be punishable with imprisonment for a term between eight and 12 years, and a fine between Rs 10 and Rs 20 lakh, the bill's provisions state.Īny clinic or bank advertising or offering sex-selective ART will be punishable with imprisonment between five and ten years, or fine between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, or both, the bill's provisions state, according to PRS India. It was passed by voice vote after a discussion during which various members urged the government not to exclude single parents and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBTQ) community from using the ART procedure.Īccording to PRS India, a legislative think-tank, the bill introduced last year had provisions that offences would be punishable with a fine between Rs 5 and Rs 10 lakh for the first contravention.
The Bill, which envisages prevention of misuse, and safe and ethical practice of assisted ART services, also seeks to set minimum standards and a code of conduct for fertility clinics and egg or sperm banks.