LAXMI KANT PANDEY vs UNION OF INDIA & ANR.

The Supreme Court clarified various aspects of inter-country adoption, emphasizing that the scrutinizing agency must be distinct from the placement agency to ensure impartial evaluations. The Court held that the social or child welfare agency must guarantee care for the child in case of family disruption before adoption and report alternative placements to the court. Additionally, it ruled on the necessity of notarized documents for foreign adopters and the requirement for foreign parents to meet the child in India prior to adoption approval, establishing guidelines to expedite adoption processes and prioritize Indian parents for adoption.