Hindustan Times reports that single men, women and even gays and lesbians could soon get the legal sanction to have children using surrogate mothers. The draft Bill legalizing surrogacy in India, The Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Regulation) Bill – 2010 (Download here) has provided for single parenthood by allowing “unmarried couples” and “single persons” from India and abroad to have children using ART procedure and surrogate mothers.

“Along with the term single persons, the path is open for gays and lesbians to use ART procedure,” said senior advocate Rajiv Dhavan, who played a crucial role in drafting the Bill along with his colleagues at Public Interest Legal Support and Research Centre. “The expression ‘unmarried couples’ generally suggests heterosexual relationships. But its interpretation has been left open.”

DNA Reports that the Justice Dinakaran enquiry panel has hardly made any headway due to non-availability of office space. To quote DNA it said “Delay is primarily due to the Centre’s apathy in allotting space in the secretariat to the three-member panel of Supreme Court (SC) judge V.S. Sirpurkar, Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and lawyer P.P. Rao for conducting proceedings”

Mumbai Mirror reports that Bombay High Court’s inspection officials have asked the Chief Magistrate to take severe action against roadside advocates. In a letter to the Esplanade Court’s Bar Association, N.S. Borse has said “Advocates are found accosting passersby and persons visiting the court.” …. “this unbecoming and objectionable manner of practicing law has not been done away with”.

Finally, ULIP’s regulatory concerns end with IRDA taking over the control. Livemint reports that the Government passed an ordinance to prevent a possible erosion in the credibility of the regulators and the government that could have resulted from a long-drawn legal battle to establish jurisdiction over unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs), a hybrid insurance product.