High Court Refuses To Allow Unmarried Woman To Terminate Pregnancy At 23 Weeks
NDTV
The petitioner, an unmarried woman would complete 24 weeks of pregnancy on July 18, told the court that her partner, with whom she had a consensual relationship, had refused to marry her.
The Delhi High Court has refused to allow an unmarried woman to undergo medical termination of pregnancy at 23 weeks, observing it is not permitted under the abortion law after 20 weeks for pregnancy arising out of a consensual relationship.
It, however, has sought the Centre's response on the woman's contention that the exclusion of unmarried women from being allowed to undergo medical termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks, was discriminatory.
The petitioner, a 25-year-old woman, who would complete 24 weeks of gestation on July 18, told the court that her partner, with whom she was in a consensual relationship, had refused to marry her.
She stressed that giving birth out of wedlock would cause her psychological agony as well as social stigma and she was not mentally prepared to be a mother.
