Adopted Child Gets Adoptive Parents' Caste: Bombay High Court Rules

• The Bombay High Court ruled that an adopted child, whose biological parents are unknown, will acquire the caste of their adoptive parents.
• This significant verdict overturns a caste scrutiny committee's decision that had canceled a 16-year-old adopted boy's Special Backward Category caste certificate.
• Justices Makrand Karnik and Shriram Modak emphasized that the legal effect of adoption severs old ties and establishes new ones, preventing the child's future from remaining uncertain.
• The court cited the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 and 2015, stating that the law's intent is to protect children, not to leave their identity in limbo.
• The High Court directed authorities to issue a Special Backward Category caste certificate to the child within four weeks, setting a precedent for thousands of adopted children.

Why It Matters: Bombay High Court rules adopted children acquire adoptive parents' caste, ensuring identity and future clarity.