Supreme Court Raises Concern Over Reports of a Missing Child Every Eight Minutes, Urges Streamlining of Adoption Process

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over reports claiming that a child goes missing in India every eight minutes. While the court did not confirm the accuracy of the claim, it emphasized the gravity of the issue and the need for urgent action to address child safety.

A bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan directed the central government to streamline the adoption process, noting that the current cumbersome procedures often lead individuals to pursue illegal means to obtain children.

Justice Nagarathna stated, “I read in a newspaper that a child goes missing every eight minutes in the country. I do not know whether this is true or not, but the matter is extremely serious.”

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati requested six weeks to appoint a nodal officer to handle missing children cases. However, the Supreme Court refused the extension and instructed that the process be completed by 9 December 2025.

Earlier, on 14 October, the Court had directed the central government to ensure that all states and union territories appoint nodal officers to handle missing children cases. Their names and contact details were to be published on the Mission Vatsalya portal, operated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

The Court also emphasized that an online portal should be maintained to share information about missing children with the designated nodal officers. It noted a lack of coordination among police officials across states tasked with tracing missing children and proposed that each state designate a specific officer responsible for receiving, disseminating, and investigating complaints.

The case was filed by the NGO Guriya Swayamsevi Sansthan, highlighting unresolved abduction and missing children cases, as well as deficiencies in the monitoring of the “Lost and Found” portal managed by the Government of India. The petition cited incidents in Uttar Pradesh last year where minors were abducted and trafficked to states like Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan through organized networks.

The Supreme Court’s interventions underscore the urgency of improving child protection mechanisms and ensuring timely action in missing children cases.