Rape victim can terminate pregnancy after 26 weeks

One-liner: The Delhi HC has allowed a minor rape victim to undergo medical termination of pregnancy after 26 weeks.

Forced to bear the mantle: It said her misery and suffering would stand compounded if she was forced to bear the mantle of motherhood at a tender age.

Injury to mental health: Justice Yashwant Varma observed that forcing the petitioner to go through the pregnancy would permanently scar her psyche and cause grave and irreparable injury to her mental health.

Preserve the foetus: The court allowed the petitioner's plea seeking termination of pregnancy and directed the concerned hospital to preserve the foetus for purposes of DNA testing which would be required in the criminal case related to the incident.

Discretion to cancel termination: The court clarified that if during the procedure for termination, the attending doctors find that there arises a risk to the life of the petitioner, they would have the discretion to cancel the termination of pregnancy.

SC to hear today: The woman on Wednesday moved the SC seeking an urgent listing of her appeal. 

Permission denied: The HC had earlier denied the permission to abort saying that it virtually amounted to killing the foetus.

Source: PTI