Case brief
What is this about?
Karnataka High Court, WP No. 658 of 2023 (GM-FC), Lalitha Kanneganti J., order dated 03.02.2025. Mother's Article 227 challenge to Family Court (Bengaluru) interim custody/visitation order of 21.04.2022 in I.A.No.III, G & W.C. No.29/2020 (Section 12, G and WC Act invoked by father). After interim visitation schedules (23.04.2024, 19.06.2024), chamber interaction, and Counsellor-monitored Mediation Centre meetings with reports of inconsistent bonding, the Court exercised parens patriae jurisdiction, found the child's reluctance reflected the mother's influence rather than the father's conduct, rejected supervised-only visitation at the Mediation Centre, granted unsupervised Sunday visitation 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. with pickup/drop at the mother's home and comfort/bonding conditions, left the expired summer-vacation order untouched, disposed of the petition and closed all I.As. Keywords: guardianship and wards, interim custody, unsupervised visitation, mediation centre, child counsellor report, parens patriae, welfare of minor.