Madonna’s long-unfolding adoption of a two-year-old Malawian boy may take a while longer to conclude, as Malawi’s High Court delayed Thursday its ruling on whether the adoption may proceed or not.

It has been more than a year and a half that pop superstar Madonna commenced the process of adopting Malawian baby David Banda, now 2-years-old. The little boy has been living with Madonna and her husband, English director Guy Ritchie, since 2006, when she filed adoption papers.

The boy had been placed in an orphanage by his father, after his wife died. His father agreed to the adoption, explaining that the singer could offer David a better and safer life.

Controversy has surrounded the issue, with critics questioning the fairness of the very quick process. The Malawian government has been accused of favoring Madonna, in spite of laws forbidding foreigners from adopting children in Malawi.

Thursday, the country’s High Court delayed its ruling so it could review a new human rights report which says the move would be illegal, reports Reuters South Africa.

Human Rights Commission Chairman Dorothy Nyasulu told Reuters officials wish to ascertain the adoption conforms with international conventions on child rights, “otherwise, as it stands, everything is illegal and the person who wants to adopt the child does not qualify until the judge finds solutions to it.”

Madonna has become passionate about the plight of children in Malawi. The AIDS epidemic has left over one million orphans.

Madonna co-founded the Raising Malawi initiative, a humanitarian aid program which aims to help the underprivileged and at-risk children of Malawi. She has succeeded in bringing much attention to the cause.

Earlier this year, she organized a fundraiser in New York on the United Nations front lawn, sponsored by Gucci, and gathered more than $5.5 million. Last month, she attended the 7th annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York to promote the Nathan Rissman-directed documentary “I Am Because We Are.”

Madonna wrote, narrated and produced the film, which focuses on the impoverished orphans of Malawi and the efforts of Raising Malawi.

While the singer was not present in court Thursday, her lawyer Alan Chinula told reporters Madonna “has met all the requirements” and that he was confident the adoption would be approved, as “the government is satisfied that she qualifies.”