SC issues notices to Centre, Maha govt over plea challenging validity of abortion laws

The petition was filed by a woman in the 24th week of her pregnancy and argues that current laws deny women`s rights to abort in case of extraordinary medical complications.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to Centre and the Maharashtra government while hearing a plea challenging the validity of abortion laws in the country.

The petitioner, who is in her 24th week of pregnancy, argued the current laws deny women's rights to abort in case of extraordinary medical complications.

As the laws currently don't permit an abortion after twenty weeks of pregnancy, the petition argues that the ceiling is unreasonable, arbitrary, harsh, discriminatory and violative of the right to life and equality, PTI reported.

The petitioner has sought that the relevant section must be declared unconstitutional or read down.