13/06/2026
⚖️ **SUPREME COURT: CHILD'S RIGHT TO KNOW BIOLOGICAL PARENTAGE PREVAILS IN APPROPRIATE CASES**
In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court of India upheld an order directing a DNA test in a paternity dispute, emphasizing that when a person's identity, inheritance rights, and legal status depend upon the determination of parentage, scientific evidence may become indispensable in the pursuit of truth.
📌 **Key Highlights of the Judgment:**
✅ DNA tests should not be ordered routinely or as a matter of course.
✅ Courts must exercise caution and direct DNA testing only in exceptional circumstances where it is necessary to arrive at the truth.
✅ When paternity is the central issue and other evidence is insufficient, scientific testing may be justified.
✅ The right to privacy is important, but it is not absolute and must be balanced against a child's legitimate right to know his or her biological identity.
✅ A person should not be left perpetually uncertain about their biological parentage, especially when inheritance and legal rights are involved.
✅ Previous maintenance proceedings do not necessarily prevent a civil suit seeking determination of paternity.
🔍 The Court reaffirmed that **justice is best served when truth is established through reliable evidence**, while carefully balancing privacy, dignity, and the rights of all parties involved.
👨⚖️ **Science in service of truth. Law in service of justice.**
📚 Know Your Rights. Know the Law.
