In an effort to put an end to commercial surrogacy, the Union Cabinet has cleared a Bill to regulate surrogate pregnancy.
Announcing the decision, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, once passed, the legislation will ban commercial surrogacy and regulate altruistic surrogacy. Swaraj, also the chairperson of an empowered group of ministers, said altruistic surrogacy will be clearly defined in the new Bill.
Swaraj added that couples in a live-in or homosexual relationship will not be given permission for surrogacy. "Wombs of poor women are being bought even by celebrities who have one or two children. This is unethical," she said.
She said the new law will bring the 2000-odd surrogacy clinics under its purview. The law will allow only legally married Indian couple to have children through altruistic surrogacy.