Key Takeaways
- The Calcutta High Court allowed the termination of a 23-week pregnancy of a rape victim under MTP.
- A medical board has been set up to oversee the medical termination of pregnancy procedure.
- The court’s decision highlights the importance of addressing the mental and physical trauma faced by rape victims in India.
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court has allowed the termination of a 23-week old pregnancy of a rape victim and advised a state government-owned hospital to set up a medical board for this purpose, court sources said on Tuesday.
The victim, a 27-year-old woman, was facing a problem and having a traumatic condition when her pregnancy was discovered after 21 weeks.
As per Indian laws, a pregnancy which is 20 weeks old or above can be terminated only after with a permission from the court of law.
Calcutta High court Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya while hearing the case on Monday directed the MR Bangur hospital in south Kolkata to set up a medical board comprising two gynaecologists and a pedestrian for the MTP ( medical termination of pregnancy) within 48 hours.
Sources said the court was told that the woman was raped on July 18, 2023 and had suffered wounds, especially mentally after being raped.
The victim told the judge she was unemployed and could not support her baby and sought the termination of her pregnancy.
A report on the pros and cons of the procedure has been sought by the court which will be heard again on February 2, 2024.
