Delhi High Court Allows 15-Year-Old Rape Survivor to Terminate Pregnancy
· India · Hindustan Times, Times of India
The Delhi High Court has permitted a 15-year-old rape survivor to terminate her pregnancy, which had exceeded 30 weeks of gestation. Justice Madhu Jain ruled that forcing a survivor to carry a pregnancy resulting from sexual assault against her will constitutes a serious impairment of her right to live with dignity. The court emphasised that reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity are paramount, even when a pregnancy exceeds the statutory 24-week limit under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The judge noted that while the procedure requires heightened medical caution, the survivor's physical and psychological well-being must be the primary consideration.
Why it matters
This ruling reinforces the legal precedent that a survivor's right to bodily autonomy and dignity takes precedence in cases involving pregnancies resulting from sexual violence.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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