Malawian authorities waived local rules to grant an interim adoption on Monday, prompting charges from rights groups that Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, used their status to bypass normal rules.

Malawian law bans adoptions by non-residents, but officials are granting an exemption to Madonna. Malawian courts will have 18 months to evaluate the new parents.

Around 50 rights groups have filed court documents asking for an injunction allowing them to block the adoption, arguing that the celebrity couple may have flouted normal procedures.

"These laws are in place for a reason -- to protect the child. It doesn't matter who it is, the law is paramount and the interests of the child are paramount," Paul Dimmick of charity EveryChild told Reuters.

The baby leaves behind his home in a dilapidated orphanage near the Zambian border. The boy's mother died after she gave birth to him, according to media reports. His father, Yohane, is alive but has said in interviewers he lacks the funds to raise him.

Madonna and her husband arrived in Malawi on October 4 on what was described as a humanitarian trip, and left last Friday. She spent most of the trip visiting orphanages to draw attention to the plight of children, many of whose parents died of AIDS.

The singer has promised to donate about $3 million to the campaign to help the children via the charity Raising Malawi.

In addition to two homes in Britain, Madonna also has a home in Beverly Hills in the United States.

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