Delhi High Court to hear Plea on Abortion Law

The Delhi High Court will be hearing the petition which seeks to amend the various provision related to abortions in India. The petition seeks to:

• Enhance the time limit to terminate a pregnancy in case of any health risk to the mother or the foetus, from the current 20-week cap to 24 or 26 weeks.
• Unmarried females and widows too should be allowed to undergo a legal abortion under the law.
• Direction to the Ministries of Health and Law and Justice to apprise the court as to when the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 would be amended in terms of the proposed draft amendment of 2014.

The petition argues that laws forcing women to continue with the pregnancy and deliver babies with severe health defects should be checked and the time limit for terminating the pregnancy of her own accord should be extended to 24 or 26 weeks.

The petition also highlights the recommendation of the National Commission for Women which had sought to extend the time limit for abortion from 20 to 24 weeks.