Supreme Court Allows 14-Year-Old Rape Survivor To Abort 30-Week Pregnancy, Overturns HC Order

The Supreme Court of India gave a 14-year-old rape survivor the freedom to terminate her 30-week pregnancy on Monday, April 22, 2024, in a historic ruling.

The Supreme Court of India issued a landmark decision on Monday (April 22, 2024) granting a 14-year-old rape survivor the right to terminate her 30-week pregnancy. The court's decision effectively overturned an earlier Bombay High Court decision that denied the young girl's abortion request. A bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud heard the case and directed the dean of Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Hospital to form a medical team to carry out the abortion.

The girl's mother filed a petition challenging the Bombay High Court's refusal to terminate her daughter's pregnancy. On April 19, the court ordered that the minor undergo a medical examination. The Sion hospital in Mumbai was tasked with reporting on the girl's potential physical and psychological effects if she underwent a medical abortion or was advised against it.

Under the 'Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act' (MTP), the maximum gestational age for an abortion is 24 weeks, not only for married women but also for women in special categories such as rape survivors, people with disabilities, and minors.