New Delhi

There is a need to bring in a new and comprehensive law to deal with child adoption that makes the process smoother as well as more accountable, a parliamentary panel that examined the sensitive subject has felt.

The panel, headed by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, observed that a unique situation prevailed in India, where on one hand, a large number of families were finding it difficult to adopt children while on the other hand a huge number of children were living as orphans or beggars on the streets.

In a another pertinent observation, the panel also took note of the word 'illegitimate' used in some legislations to describe children and asserted that no child should be described in this manner.

The panel strongly feels that the word 'Illegitimate' should be omitted as no child is illegitimate and the law should be the same for all children whether born within or out of wedlock.

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The 118th report of the standing committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice was put before both Houses of the Parliament on Monday.