Court Allows Minor's Abortion After Father Fails To Sign Consent Form

The minor's father gave consent for abortion but did not do the paperwork

The Delhi High Court has allowed a 16-year-old girl, an alleged rape survivor, to undergo termination of nearly 24-week pregnancy after her father, who earlier consented to the minor's abortion, did not come forward to sign the consent form.

The court said in view of the urgency of the matter, as there were only 2-3 days left before the legal limit of 24 weeks, the superintendent of Nirmal Chhaya Complex, where the girl has been staying since October, can sign the consent form. The superintendent of the facility was appointed as the girl's guardian by the Child Welfare Committee.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said allowing the minor to give birth and raise the child, knowing that she herself is an adolescent and mentally and physically unprepared, will be totally inappropriate and improper.

"This would only be leading her to trauma for the entire life and miseries in all manners, be it emotional, physical and mental, given the social, financial and other factors associated with raising a child," the court said.