SC seeks govt response on making DNA profiling mandatory

The supreme court today sought a response from the government for making DNA profiling of unidentified dead bodies mandatory, which could effectively be used for reaching out to their family members.

A PIL filed by a Haryana-based doctor pointed out that over 37,000 persons die without their identity ever found out and the methods and procedures adopted for their identification becomes a futile exercise, leaving their kin in darkness about them.

The apex court, which initailly was reluctant to entertain the PIL and expressed doubt about the possibility DNA profiling technique, issued a notice to the Centre after the counsel, appearing for petitioner Shamsher Malik, impressed on the judges that it is the best available technique to reach out to the family members of unidentified dead bodies.

"It is a good thing you have brought. But when you filed this type of petition, you should furnish more details," a bench comprising chief justice KG Balakrishnan and justice P Sathasivam said before issuing the notice.

The Bench wanted to know from Malik's counsel Pushpender Singh why he has not made the ministry of health a respondent when majority of laboratories involved in DNA profiling are functioning under it.

Since the petitioner had made only the home ministry as a respondent, it asked the counsel to make the health ministry a party to the petition.