Bombay High Court Rules Single Mother Can Remove Father's Name from School Records

On February 19, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court heard a petition from a rape victim mother, who sought to remove the father's name from the school records of her daughter. The Court ruled that recognizing the mother as the sole guardian of the child is not an act of mercy but an adherence to the Constitution.

Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Hiten Venugavkar stated that the child’s identity should not be linked to a father with whom she has no connection. Article 21 of the Constitution grants the right to live with dignity, and identity is a part of that dignity.

In this case, the mother is a rape survivor. The DNA test confirmed that the accused was the biological father, but he chose to remain separated from the child. Despite this, the father's name was still listed in the birth certificate and school records. When the school refused to make amendments, the mother and daughter approached the High Court.

The Court clarified that while the school is not a caste certification authority, special cases such as this can be corrected in the records.