Psychological evaluation of children shouldn't be ordered routinely: SC

Noting that children cannot be treated as “mere evidentiary objects”, the Supreme Court on Thursday said their psychological or psychiatric evaluation should not be ordered routinely to satisfy the competing claims of estranged parents involved in bitter custody-and-visitation disputes.

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A bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N Kotiswar Singh issued guidelines for cases involving a psychological or psychiatric evaluation of minor children in proceedings arising out of custody, visitation or parental-access disputes.

The top court modified a Bombay High Court order and set aside key directions that had allowed a four-member panel of psychologists and experts to evaluate a girl whose father is facing allegations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.