New Delhi: Giving benefit of a provision in the abortion law, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed a rape survivor to abort her 24-week-old ‘abnormal’ foetus, on the ground that continuance of pregnancy would gravely endanger her physical and mental health. The apex court gave benefit of the exception in law under section 5 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, which allows abortion after 20 weeks only in case if there is grave danger to the life of a mother.
During the hearing, a report of a seven member medical board of King Edward Memorial College and Hospital at Mumbai, which has diagnosed the health of the woman, was tabled before the bench in a sealed cover.
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The apex court said that the medical board has found serious abnormalities in the foetus which is around 24 weeks old and has opined grave risk to the mother’s life if pregnancy is allowed to continue.
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The bench also said that the larger issue of challenge to constitutional validity of provisions of the abortion law will be dealt by another bench where a similar petition on the issue is pending.
