MTP of 24-weeks old pregnancy- HC asks RML Hospital to set up board

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital to immediately constitute a medical board to examine a minor girl, who is seeking termination of her 24-week-old pregnancy. A single bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed the medical superintendent of the Hospital to constitute a medical board to examine the victim expeditiously and submit a report by February 6.

The court also asked for a doctor of the medical team to be present in the next hearing. A plea, filed before the court, stated that the rape victim is 16 years old and her medical examination was conducted on January 25, 2020, in a Hospital in Rohini and the matter was further referred for an opinion as the victim was found 24 weeks pregnant.

According to the petitioner, pursuant to her medical report, an FIR was registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Swaroop Nagar police station on January 25. Advocate Prachi Nirvan, representing the petitioner, requested the Delhi High Court to direct concerned authorities to ensure that the pregnancy of the petitioner is medically terminated.

The hospital asked her to get approval from the court to terminate her pregnancy, advocate Prachi Nirvan said. She also informed the court that the petitioner is aggrieved as Section 3 of Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971, does not permit the termination of pregnancy in case the period of gestation is more than 20 weeks old.

She said that the pregnancy poses a substantial risk to the petitioner as she herself is of tender age.