The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday (September 16) directed the Registry to place before it the proceedings of the Rule Making Committee on the framing of formal rules based on child custody guidelines adopted by the Calcutta High Court, along with the steps taken by the Committee and the date fixed for its next meeting.

The direction came while the Division Bench of Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice T.P Vivekananda issued the direction while hearing a suo motu petition concerning the framing and proper implementation of guidelines for child custody.

“What happened after the first consultation of the Rule Committee?” the Court orally asked when the matter was taken up.

Amicus Curiae and Senior Counsel Dhyan Chinnappa submitted that the Court could ask the Registrar General to furnish a report.

The Court noted that a direction had already been issued to the Registrar General in this regard.

During the hearing, it was submitted that the Rule Making Committee had convened a meeting on June 24, 2026. The Court accordingly directed the Registry to obtain the proceedings of that meeting, the steps taken by the Committee thereafter and the date notified for its next meeting.

“...It is submitted that Rule Making Committee has convened a meeting on 24 June, 2026. Get instructions on the proceedings and the steps taken by the committee and the date notified for the next meeting. List after 3 weeks,” the Court ordered.

In December 2025, while the formal guidelines were yet to be framed by the Rule Making Committee, the High Court had directed trial courts in Karnataka to follow the Child Access & Custody Guidelines along with Parenting Plan 2025, approved by the Calcutta High Court, as an interim measure.

During the hearing, the Bench also raised the issue of the time taken when parties involved in custody disputes are referred for psychological evaluation by experts.

The Court observed that sending parties for such evaluation and waiting for the reports takes time. It suggested that, where psychological evaluation is required, it could instead be conducted in-house with the assistance of experts.

Case Title: The High Court of Karnataka v. Union of India & Anr

Case No: WP 24360/2023