With reference to the Karnataka High Court's order on child custody, consider the following statements: 1. The court directed the replacement of parenting time with visitation. 2. The order aims to ensure a more humane approach toward parental rights. 3. The order is only applicable to the Registrar of General. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Karnataka High Court orders replacing "visitation" with "parenting time" in child custody cases

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Vulnerable sections (SC/ST, minorities, disabled, elderly, children)· Mains· 7 October 2026

Child-centric judicial terminology: a relevant GS2 case study on social justice and family law reform.

Why in news

The Karnataka High Court directed family and G&WC courts to replace the term 'visitation' with 'parenting time' in child custody cases to ensure a more humane approach toward parental rights.

Background

Justice Lalitha Kanneganti of the Karnataka High Court issued the order effective October 07, 2026. The Registrar of General is mandated to issue a circular to implement this change across all judicial proceedings and applications.

Facts for Prelims

FactThe term 'parenting time' replaces 'visitation' in child custody cases as per the High Court order.
PostJustice Lalitha Kanneganti: Presiding judge of the Karnataka High Court who issued the directive.

Prelims practice question

With reference to the Karnataka High Court's order on child custody, consider the following statements:

The court directed the replacement of parenting time with visitation.
The order aims to ensure a more humane approach toward parental rights.
The order is only applicable to the Registrar of General.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)3 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (b) 2 only — Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: The court directed the replacement of visitation with parenting time. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Registrar is mandated to issue a circular to implement the change across all judicial proceedings.

For Mains

Q. Discuss how the shift from 'visitation' to 'parenting time' in judicial terminology reflects a move towards a child-centric approach in family law.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Psychological impact: Moving from 'visitor' status to active participation in child development
Judicial empathy: Transitioning from rigid legalistic labels to humane, welfare-oriented terminology
Parental rights: Balancing the rights of non-custodial parents with the best interests of the child

Keywords: Child-centric approach · Best interests of the child · Judicial terminology · Parental rights · Family law reform

Read the full news →Report a mistake in this note Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS2 · Judiciary & landmark judgments

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