Supreme Court on Tuesday while issuing a notice to the Centre made it clear that Pregnant Rape Victim must be soundly informed about her legal rights. Further the Apex court directed the central government to set up medical boards to look into the cases of termination required in unwanted pregnancies over 20 weeks. As section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 restricts termination of pregnancy if the foetus is older than 20 weeks.
The direction came while the court was entertaining a plea filed by a rape victim who in addition to seek permission to terminate her pregnancy also asked the court of set up medical boards to look into such cases where the pregnancy is unwanted and had crossed the tenure of 20 weeks.
The lawyer of the girl while Arguing said that his Prayer 1 (which is termination of girl’s pregnancy) might be overlooked but Prayer 2 (setting up of medical boards) must be taken in cognizance as while drafting and collecting the particulars of the case, he saw the pain and suffering faced by the victim and her family.
Lawcutor 