16-yr-old rape victim seeks HC nod to terminate 21-week pregnancy

A 16-year-old rape victim has approached the Uttarakhand High Court seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy. The victim, through her mother, said they visited a hospital to get the 21-week-old pregnancy terminated but the doctors refused it citing Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.

Hearing the matter, a single bench of Justice Manoj Tiwari on Friday directed Nainital’s chief medical officer to constitute a panel of three senior doctors who will examine the girl and her pregnancy and present the report to the court on July 11, when the matter has been listed for next hearing.

Pankaj Sharma, counsel for the petitioner, said after the alleged rape was reported in April this year, the girl was sent to Nari Niketan in Haldwani the same month. Later, in June, she was allowed to return home.

“Her parents went to doctor in June but were told them that according to Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, the termination of pregnancy cannot be conducted after 20 weeks,” he said.

Sharma said the victim and her mother submitted an application before the HC on Thursday and it came up for hearing on Friday.

According to Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, termination is permitted for a broad range of conditions up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, like when its continuation is a risk to the life of a pregnant woman or child or the pregnancy is caused due to rape.