Unmarried women can undergo abortion up to 24 weeks; Supreme Court

|HT|

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that all women irrespective of married or unmarried are entitled to seek abortion of their pregnancy in the term of 20-14 weeks, even if the pregnancy arises out of a consensual relationship. In its interpretation of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, the apex court said, an unmarried woman can undergo an abortion upto 24 weeks on par with that of married women as the distinction between a married woman and an unmarried woman can't be sustained.

The top court said sexual assault by husbands can take the form of rape and the meaning of rape must include the meaning of marital rape under the MTP Act and Rules for the purposes of abortion.

The rulings came as the Supreme Court was scheuled to pronounce the judgment today on whether an unmarried woman can seek abortion of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks term in a consensual relationship.

Justice DY Chandrachud said the interpretation of the MTP act has to reflect the social realities. Social mores change and evolve as society changes and laws must not remain static and advance the cause.