SC Allows Woman To Abort 24-Week-Old Foetus;Centre Writes To States To Set Up Medical Board To Handle Such Cases

The Supreme Court today allowed the plea of a Pune-based woman to abort her 24-week old foetus with severe abnormality of not having a skull for which there was no treatment.

The bench relied on the medical report while allowing the plea.

Meanwhile the solicitor general Ranjit Kumar told the court that the  Centre has written to all the states and Union Territories asking them to set up permanent medical boards for abortion cases

“The government has written to all states and Union Territories to set up such medical boards”, he said.

The medical boards will examine requests for termination of pregnancy and cut delays in abortion .

It is to be noted that a month ago, a bench of then Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud while rejecting the plea of a 10 year old rape victim to abort her 32 month old foetus had noted there were scores of such petitions now being lined up before the apex court. The bench had mooted setting up of medical boards in all districts to vet such cases and give permission on the basis of merits.
“Why don’t you consider setting up permanent medical boards in all districts across the states to examine such requests?” the bench asked the SG.

Kumar replied that the government was contemplating amendments in the MTPA and that one of the issues was about increasing the time limit for legal abortion. Currently, Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTPA), 1971, bars abortion after 20th week.
As per the proposed amendment, the time limit could be extended to 24 weeks