SC Seeks Centre Reply on DNA System for Missing Children

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on a public interest litigation seeking a national DNA and biometric identification system for missing and rescued children to facilitate their identification, tracing and reunification with families.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued notices to the Union home ministry and the NCPCR on a petition filed by Reepak Kansal.

The plea sought directions to the Centre and all states and Union territories to create a centralised system, backed by statutory safeguards, for DNA and biometric identification of missing and rescued children.

"Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction directing the Union of India and all States/Union Territories to establish a national DNA, and biometric identification system for missing and rescued children, with proper statutory safeguards, to enable scientific matching and restoration of identity," the plea said.

It also sought mandatory DNA sampling, subject to safeguards and consent protocols, of all unidentified rescued children and willing biological parents and guardians of missing children for reunification and identity confirmation.

"Direct integration and interoperability of all existing child protection databases, including police records, shelter homes, Child Welfare Committees, and Anti-Human Trafficking Units, under a centralised and real-time national framework," the plea said.

The petition sought the constitution of national and state-level child protection and anti-trafficking task forces to ensure interstate coordination, time-bound investigation, rescue and rehabilitation of missing and trafficked children.

"Direct the respondents to frame and notify Standard Operating Procedure for tracing DNA testing, reunification, rehabilitation, compensation and long-term monitoring of rescued children," it said.

The plea also sought mandatory DNA verification of a child proposed for adoption against national records before completion of the adoption process, subject to a regulated and privacy-compliant framework.

It claimed such verification would help establish the authenticity of a child’s identity and prevent illegal adoption, trafficking and misrepresentation.

The petition also sought periodic compliance affidavits from the authorities before the Supreme Court detailing the number of missing children, DNA samples collected, matches established, reunifications completed, prosecutions launched and rehabilitation measures undertaken.