Goonj – India Law Blog & Insights on Society and Spirituality

🥚 EGG-CELLENT JUDGMENT: Understanding Surrogacy Laws in India 🌐 Introduction Surrogacy in India is a legal arrangement where a woman (the surrogate mother ) agrees to carry and deliver a child for another person or couple, known as the intended parent(s) . She is also referred to as a gestational carrier , as she conceives, carries, and gives birth on behalf of others. This practice raises complex ethical, legal, and emotional questions , leading to the enactment of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 , which governs all surrogacy arrangements in India. ⚖️ The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 Under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 , only altruistic surrogacy is permitted in India. This means: Eligible Women: A widow or divorced woman aged 35 to 45 years , or a legally married couple (man aged 26–55 and woman aged 25–50 ) with a medical condition preventing conception, may opt for surrogacy. Eligibility Condition: The intending couple must not have any previous biolo...

⚖️ EMOJI STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION: Decoding Digital Symbols in Legal Interpretation 🏛️ How courts in India and across the world interpret emojis as evidence, intent, and communication in law. 🌐 Introduction In the digital era, communication has evolved beyond words. Emojis — those colorful symbols expressing emotion, tone, and reaction — have become an integral part of everyday conversations. But what happens when a simple “👍” or “😊” becomes a matter of legal interpretation? As emojis increasingly appear in contracts, workplace communications, and social media posts, courts around the world — including in India — are faced with a new interpretative challenge: how to decode digital symbols within the framework of law. ⚖️ Understanding “Emoji Statutory Construction” The term Emoji Statutory Construction refers to the legal process of interpreting emojis as part of textual or electronic communication , especially when they affect meaning, consent, or intent. Courts are now applying ...