The Supreme Court on April 19 directed the medical examination of a 14-year-old rape survivor who is 28 weeks pregnant.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice J.B. Pardiwala assembled urgently after court hours to pass the order in a special hearing.
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The mother of the girl has sought the medical termination of the pregnancy. The Bombay High Court had declined her plea.
The court listed the case on April 22.
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The court directed the medical examination to be conducted on Saturday at Mumbai’s Sion Hospital by a board of doctors.
The Bench, assisted by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, found that the High Court’s decision was arrived without evaluating the mental or physical status of the minor.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act caps the upper limit for termination of pregnancy at 24 weeks for married women as well as for those in special categories, including rape survivors, and other vulnerable women, such as the differently-abled and minors.
