Special Lecture by Hon Ble Justice B S Chauhan

Date: 22/12/2002

Special Lecture by Hon’ble Justice B S Chauhan

The subject of surrogate motherhood raises many ethical and legal issues which need focused debate. Surrogacy needs to be strictly regulated, said Dr Justice B S Chauhan, Judge Supreme Court of India. He was delivering a special lecture on “Law and Morality with Special Reference to Surrogacy” in the Faculty of Law, BHU organized in commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahamana Pt Madan Mohan Malaviyaji. He very brilliantly outlined all the issues arising in the context. He also pointed out the contradictions and ironies relating to the status of women still present in modern India. Pointing out that India has no legislation on the subject of surrogate motherhood, he expressed concerns over the fate of some cases on the subject pending before Indian courts in absence of a legislation on the subject. He threw light on the existing law in U.K. and many States of the U.S. and found that the law on the subject is in general in state of flux and confusion. He also expressed his deep concerns over the possible abuse of the institution of surrogacy in the hands of rich and foreigners specially in absence of law on the subject.

In hi welcome address Head & Dean Prof. B. C. Nirmal said that without religion there can be no morality and without morality there can be no law. He pointed to the complex nature of the relationships arising out of the institution of surrogacy which needs legislative intervention.

Presiding over the session Prof. R.K. Misra, former Dean of the Law School and former Vice-Chancellor of DDU, Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur expressed his agreement over the need of having legislation on the subject. He also emphasized the need of having more and more debate over the issue.

Introducing the Guest Speaker Justice B. S. Chauhan who also happens to be the alumni of the Law School, BHU Professor B. N. Pandey stated in brief the achievements of Justice Chauhan.

Finally vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. AjendraSrivastave, Convener of the programme. Dr. Bibha Tripathi acted as Master of Ceremony. Dr. Adesh Kumar and Dr. Surender Mehra acted as Repporteurs.

Special lecture was attended by a good number of teachers and students of Law School, BHU. Among the teachers who were present at the occasion includes Prof. M. P. Singh, Prof. G. P. Verma, Dr. Abha Trivedi, Dr. Rajneesh Kumar Patel, Dr. Rajnish Kr. Singh, Dr. Adesh Kumar Dr. Raju Majhi and Dr. ManojPadhy. Among the students were included ShivaniBhalla, SaurabhTiwari and others.