Asia: Family and Matrimonial

The Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark judgment in Chaturbhuj Pradhan v. Amar Pradhan addressing the complex intersection of DNA testing in paternity disputes with fundamental rights to privacy, personal identity, and inheritance. This ruling establishes critical legal precedents on when courts can order genetic testing to determine biological parentage and how such orders balance individual autonomy against the rights of children and families.

Separating parents often ask whether they have a right to equal, week-about care of their children, but Australian family law does not work that way. This article examines when shared care arrangements succeed, how courts now assess applications for equal time following major 2024 reforms, and why no parent can claim a legal entitlement to a 50/50 split.

The Delhi High Court, in Uma Bharti & Anr. v. The Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors. [W.P.(CRL) 2429/2026], directed local police to protect a live-in couple whose relationship was opposed by the woman’s father and brother. The order, passed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Saurabh Banerjee on 13.08.2026, reaffirms that a consenting adult’s choice to reside with a partner of their choosing remains constitutionally protected, irrespective of familial or societal disapproval.