14-Year-Old Withdraws Plea For Abortion: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to have medical boards assigned in all districts to look at cases connecting to termination of pregnancy.
The order was passed in response to a plea filed by a 14-year-old girl from Haryana who was reportedly raped by her cousin. The petitioner moved to the top court last month, seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy that was 26-week-old.
Now, the Court has issued to assign local medical boards with necessary gynaecologists and paediatricians, citing that it will help rape survivors at the early stage, Bar and Bench reported.
The petitioner, council Advocate VK Biju told the Court that after perusing the medical board assessment, the plaintiff had decided to not go ahead with the prayer to abort the child.
"If there is a local board to check such cases it will be helpful. When rapes are not reported, its different. But when it's reported you can follow up with whether she (victim) is pregnant and what are her legal rights. If a woman gets raped and pregnant she must be told of options," the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde told stated.
The Court was informed that after perusing the medical board assessment, the 14-year-old will not abort the child. However, rape survivors will need to know necessary legal rights when found pregnant.
According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, aborting a child after twenty weeks is not permissible without the leave of a court.
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