Supreme Court
– Photo: ANI
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The Supreme Court on Monday allowed a 14-year-old rape victim to terminate her pregnancy at 30 weeks. Along with this, the Supreme Court also overturned the Bombay High Court’s decision of not giving permission to the girl to abort her baby. The court directed the termination of the victim’s pregnancy under the leadership of an expert panel of doctors.
Let us tell you that under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the upper limit for termination of pregnancy has been kept at 24 weeks for married women as well as special categories of women. These include rape victims and some other women such as the disabled and minors.
Case of 14 year old alleged rape victim
Earlier, the top court had heard the matter on Friday. Then the Supreme Court had ordered medical examination of the 14-year-old alleged rape victim. The minor’s mother had filed a petition in the apex court in the case. In this petition, the decision of the Bombay High Court was challenged, in which permission for termination of pregnancy was refused due to the pregnancy being too late.
Hearing in the bench of Chief Justice Chandrachud
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala on Friday itself took note of an e-mail sent by the victim seeking immediate judicial intervention. After this, the proceedings for urgent hearing of the case started at around 4.30 pm. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appeared in the court on behalf of the central government. The bench had sought a report from Sion Hospital in Mumbai regarding the physical and psychological condition of the victim. The bench had said that the medical superintendent of the hospital will constitute a medical board and its report will be placed before the court on April 22, the next date of hearing. The matter will be heard on Monday at 10.30 am. The petitioner’s lawyer said that the minor is 30 weeks pregnant and is currently in Mumbai.