The Centre Govt approached the Delhi High Court to seek recall of its previous order allowing a widow to abort her 29-week pregnancy, insisting that the child has a fair chance of survival.
Consult Verified Legal Experts
- • Agreements
- • Audits
- • Trademark & other IP
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Audits
- • Trademark & other IP
- • Company Registration
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
- • Matrimonial Disputes
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Case Transfer Matters
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • Consumer Protection
- • Legal Notice
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Trademark & other IP
Experience
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Legal Notice
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Property Matter
- • Corporate Issues
- • Startup Compliances
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
Experience
- • Audits
- • Trademark & other IP
- • Company Registration
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Consumer Protection
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Case Transfer Matters
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Legal Notice
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Consumer Protection
- • Legal Notice
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Case Transfer Matters
- • Cyber Crime
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Property Matter
- • Corporate Issues
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Property Matter
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Property Matter
- • Corporate Issues
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Corporate Issues
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Audits
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Matrimonial Disputes
- • Legal Notice
- • Succession Issue
Experience
- • Case Transfer Matters
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Money Recovery
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Money Recovery
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • Statutory Compliances
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Mutual or Contested Divorce
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Employment Matters
- • RERA Matters
Experience
- • Employment Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Cyber Crime
Experience
- • Employment Matters
- • Insurance Matters
- • Cyber Fraud
Experience
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Employment Matters
- • Insurance Matters
Experience
- • Bail Matter
Experience
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
Experience
- • Adoption & Custody
Experience
- • Court Marriage
Experience
- • RERA Matters
- • Case Transfer Matters
- • Cyber Crime
Experience
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
Experience
- • Rape & POCSO
Experience
- • Adoption & Custody
Experience
- • Property Matter
Experience
- • Property Matter
Experience
- • Adoption & Custody
Experience
- • Agreements
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Case Transfer Matters
Experience
- • Insurance Matters
Experience
- • Employment Matters
- • Insurance Matters
- • RERA Matters
Experience
- • Court Marriage
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Cyber Crime
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Anticipatory Bail
Experience
- • Rape & POCSO
- • Bail Matter
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Employment Matters
- • Company Registration
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Cyber Fraud
- • Cyber Crime
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Employment Matters
- • Insurance Matters
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Adoption & Custody
- • Matrimonial Disputes
- • Legal Notice
Experience
- • Anticipatory Bail
- • Audits
- • Cheque Bounce
Experience
Recalling its previous judgement passed on 4 January, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, permitted a widow, who was going through an immense trauma as well as showing suicidal tendencies after her husband’s death, to terminate her then 29 weeks-old pregnancy.
Facts of the case-
- On January 4th, the High Court allowed the widow, who was suffering from depression, to terminate her 29-week foetus, at the time as if the pregnancy is continued, it can affect her mental health, also the Court observed that the right to reproductive choice will also include the right not to procreate.
- The High Court also took into notice the change in the marital status of the woman has lost her husband on October 19, 2023, and became aware of the pregnancy on October 31, 2023.
- It was brought into the Court’s notice that the woman shall be permitted to terminate her pregnancy as allowing her to continue the pregnancy could negatively affect her mental stability as she was showing suicidal tendencies as well.
- The woman got married in February 2023 and lost her husband in October, leading to which she came to her parents' house where she got to know about the 20 weeks pregnancy.
- In December, she came to the decision to not to continue her pregnancy as she was going through extreme trauma due to the death of her husband and approached doctors for termination of the pregnancy.
- But, as the gestation period had crossed the permissible limit of 24 weeks for abortion, she was denied the permission.
- After which the woman approached the Court to seek permission for medically terminating her pregnancy, resulting which a medical board was constituted in order to assess her health condition.
- As per the Rule 3(B) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Rules, a woman will be permitted to terminate her pregnancy up to a period of 24 weeks with certain conditions. And the opinion of a state-level medical board would be required for abortions over 24 weeks, in the case of suspected foetal abnormalities.
- The AIIMS, where woman was medically examined, later submitted a report to the Court, saying that the, Foeticide in this case will neither be justified nor would it be ethical as the foetus is grossly normal.
- The report further said the psychiatrist evaluating the woman has not submitted any report which suggested that the ongoing pregnancy and delivery would cause grave injury to the mental health of the woman, which will be necessary for giving permission for the termination of pregnancy exceeding 20 weeks.
Decision of the Court-
- Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General, suggested that the in case the petitioner [woman] agrees to give the newborn child in adoption then, the Union of India would ensure that process of adoption would take place at the earliest as well as in a smooth fashion.
- Ms. Bhati also assured the Court that the Centre would provide all necessary assistance and pay all related medical costs as well as other incidental charges of delivery.
- The Court, thus rejected the contention of the woman to direct AIIMS to go ahead with the foeticide.
- Right to life
- The order came as a result of the plea submitted by both Centre and the AIIMS which urged the court to consider the protection of the right to life of the unborn child, in order for it to have a fair chance of survival.
- In its January 4 judgement this year, the Court had permitted the widow to abort her then 29 weeks-old foetus, due to the “immense trauma” and “suicidal tendencies” she was showing after the death of her husband.
- In India, a permissible limit of 24 weeks for termination of pregnancy has been provided for special cases, including the survivors of rape, victims of incest or other vulnerable women (like differently abled women, minors) etc.
For further information over matters related to present legal scenarios in the country, you may visit our site. Sharks of Law offer you a single platform with affordable and easily accessible legal services which may be related to the civil or criminal law matters. As a client, you may need expert guidance and advice for issues troubling you. We at Sharks of law offer experienced advocates who offer you with best guidance for the proper procedure required.
Email:-helpdesk@sharksoflaw.com
Help Desk:-+91-88770-01993
Adv Vipul Singh Raghuwanshi
Legal expert and contributor at Sharks of Law. Committed to providing clear and accessible legal guidance to everyone.