SC permits a 14-year-old victim of rape to end her pregnancy at 30 weeks
A 14-year-old rape victim is now allowed to have her almost 30-week-ago pregnancy medically terminated after the Supreme Court overturned a Bombay High Court ruling. According to agency sources, the court remarked that the minor’s wellbeing and the urgency of the case required the pregnancy to be terminated.
Since this is a unique instance of rape involving a 14-year-old girl, we will permit the medical abortion. She needs every hour that goes by,” the bench said, according to the ANI report.
The PTI report further stated that a bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwalla instructed the dean of the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital (LTMGH) in Mumbai to promptly put together a team of doctors for the termination procedure, using the bench’s authority under Article 142 of the Constitution, which permits it to issue orders for complete justice.
According to the PTI report, the Supreme Court had earlier on April 19 ordered the minor’s medical examination and requested a report from Sion Hospital in Mumbai on the potential psychological and physical effects of the termination procedure, should one be performed, or not.
The ruling from the highest court was issued after the minor’s physical and mental health was negatively impacted by the pregnancy, according to the medical expert from Sion Hospital who was chosen by the court. A “certain degree of risk” was associated with medical termination, according to the physicians’ study, although it was not more than birth at full term, according to ANI.
According to reports, the Bombay High Court had earlier rejected her appeal for a medical termination of her pregnancy, which the Supreme Court later overturned. After Bombay High Court refused to provide them with remedy in a ruling dated April 4, 2024, the survivor’s mother had petitioned the Supreme Court.
According to an ANI report on Friday, the supreme court pointed out that the medical report Bombay High Court had used to deny the motion had neglected to take into account the survivor’s physical and mental health, particularly in light of the sexual attack.
Married women may end their pregnancies under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act for up to 24 weeks, as well as in certain situations like rape survivors and other vulnerable groups including adults and adolescents with disabilities, the reports said.
