In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Monday has permitted a woman from Mumbai to abort her 24-week pregnancy. This is the first judicially sanctioned abortion that’s over the permissible 20 weeks limit. The ruling was made after experts said that continuing with the foetus which has multiple abnormalities would be life threatening for the mother as well as the foetus.
Realizing the significance of haste, the events in the court proceeded fast since Friday when the petition by the woman was heard for the very first time. The apex court set up a seven-member medical board on Friday. The board examined the woman at a Mumbai hospital on Saturday.
A report of the examination was sent to the court on Monday, which mentioned the severe condition of the foetus that could not survive the duration of the pregnancy. Once the report was read out by Justices J S Khekar and Arun Mishra, the attorney general Mukul Rohatgi told the court that the Centre held no objection if it’s the court’s decision to allow the abortion.
Image credits: Times of India