HC allows minor rape survivor to end pregnancy

The minor was carrying a foetus of 26 months.

Overruling a single judge bench judgment on Friday, a division bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court Jabalpur allowed medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) of a 13-year-old girl who is alleged to be a rape victim and is carrying a foetus of 26 months, as per the bench’s judgment copy.

Madhya Pradesh high court Jabalpur allowed medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) of a 13-year-old girl who is alleged to be a rape victim and is carrying a foetus of 26 months. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The division bench comprising of acting chief justice Ravi Shankar Jha and justice VK Shukla rested its decision on a medical board’s opinion that “termination of pregnancy as well as continuation of the same carries risk to the health of the child and that operative intervention is required for termination of pregnancy”. The medical board constituted as per order of the division bench submitted its report to the court Friday.