Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on plea for national DNA, biometric system for missing children
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) issued notices to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the establishment of a national DNA and biometric identification system for missing and rescued children. The petition argues that such a system would enable scientific identification, tracing and reunification of children with their families.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana took note of the petition filed by Reepak Kansal, through advocate-on-record Pravir Choudhary. The court has sought responses from the Centre and the NCPCR on the issues raised in the plea.
The PIL seeks directions to the Centre and all States and Union territories to create a centralised system, backed by statutory safeguards, for DNA and biometric identification of missing and rescued children. The plea specifically asks for an appropriate writ, order or direction to establish such a system with proper legal safeguards to enable scientific matching and restoration of identity.
It further requests that authorities conduct mandatory DNA sampling, subject to due safeguards and consent protocols, of all unidentified rescued children and willing biological parents or guardians of missing children. This, the petitioner argues, would facilitate reunification and identity confirmation.
The plea also calls for integration and interoperability of all existing child protection databases, including police records, shelter homes, Child Welfare Committees, and Anti-Human Trafficking Units, under a centralised and real-time national framework. Such integration is seen as crucial for ensuring that information about missing children is shared across agencies promptly.
Additionally, the petition seeks the constitution of national and State-level child protection and anti-trafficking task forces. These task forces would ensure mandatory interstate coordination, time-bound investigation, rescue and rehabilitation of missing and trafficked children. The plea also asks the authorities to frame and notify Standard Operating Procedures for tracing, DNA testing, reunification, rehabilitation, compensation and long-term monitoring of rescued children.
The petition further demands mandatory DNA verification of a child proposed for adoption against national records before the adoption is completed, subject to a regulated and privacy-compliant framework. According to the petitioner, such verification would help establish the authenticity of a child's identity and prevent illegal adoption, trafficking and misrepresentation.
Finally, the plea seeks periodic compliance affidavits from the authorities before the Supreme Court, detailing the number of missing children, DNA samples collected, matches established, reunifications completed, prosecutions launched and rehabilitation measures undertaken. This would enable the court to monitor the implementation of any directions issued.
The Supreme Court has not yet issued any interim order on the matter. The notices are the first step in the legal process, allowing the concerned authorities to respond to the petitioner's submissions. The case highlights the ongoing concerns about child trafficking and the need for a robust, technology-driven system to protect vulnerable children.
