NEW DELHI: Tweaking of the Indian Succession Act , 1925, to allow children born out of wedlock the right to inherit self-acquired property of their parents, need to replace ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ with ‘child’ to make room for adoption of inter-sex children under the Juvenile Justice Act are some of the key recommendations of the Law Commission in its consultation paper on reforms in family laws.The panel upholds the “best interests of the child” as paramount in deciding matters of custody regardless of personal laws.The Commission highlighted the lacunae within custody and guardianship laws— statutory or customary— and suggested some critical reforms. Changes are suggested to the Guardians and Wards Act , 1890.The panel says it is “important to address any kind of inequality present in the Act, which is applicable to all communities, and the current version could conflict with the welfare of the child”.The Act was aimed at consolidating all the laws and rules regarding custody and guardianship of the minor.However, the Act has an exception for personal laws. Taking into account the plurality of the Indian society, the Act directs courts to decide the matter in synchronisation with personal laws of the parties. “With the change in the time and structure of the society, the principle of guardianship has also changed,” the paper says suggesting changes in law.It also suggests changes in Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (1956) to use the word ‘parent’ (instead of father or mother) to leave no room for preferential right of one parent over the other.