Delhi L-G approves medical boards to deal with surrogacy-related issues

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved the formation of medical boards in all 11 districts of the city for dealing with matters related to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, Raj Niwas officials said on Monday.

The Act was notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on December 25, 2021.

Section 4(iii) of the Act states that no surrogacy or surrogacy procedure shall be conducted, undertaken, performed or initiated without the intending couple possessing a certificate issued by the appropriate authority (district medical board) specifying the need for gestational surrogacy.

"However, constitution of the district medical boards (DMBs) was kept pending by the Delhi government ever since the regulation was notified by the central government, which forced intending beneficiaries to approach court," an official said.

The DMBs will be headed by the chief medical officer or chief civil surgeon or joint director of health services of the district serving as chairperson. It will comprise chief gynaecologist and chief paediatrician of the district as its members.

The proposal for constitution of DMBs was approved by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the health portfolio, and was endorsed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.