New Delhi, July 21 (Agency) Stating that abortion can not be denied merely because woman is unmarried, the Supreme Court on Thursday allowed an unmarried woman to terminate her pregnancy at 24 weeks. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud observed that the Delhi High Court had an unduly restrictive view of the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules while refusing her to undergo abortion.
The petitioner had challenged High Court order which had not allowed her to terminate pregnancy at 24 weeks. The 25-year-old, in her petition, said that it was difficult for her to feed the child, as her partner had refused to marry her. She said that she is one of the five siblings and her parents are farmers. A medical board will be constituted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi who will see if pregnancy can be terminated without any threat to the woman’s life.