High Court Redefines Pregnancy Law for Unmarried Women

The Bombay High Court allowed a 23-year-old unmarried woman to terminate her pregnancy beyond 20 weeks, arguing that restricting such permissions to married women is discriminatory under Article 14 of the Constitution. The court criticized the Maharashtra government's narrow legal interpretation and called for broader application of the MTP Act.

In a landmark ruling, the Bombay High Court has permitted a 23-year-old unmarried woman to terminate her pregnancy beyond the 20-week limit. The court argued that restricting this right to married women constitutes a narrow interpretation of the law and violates Article 14 of the Constitution.

The decision came after the woman, 21 weeks pregnant, faced financial and personal constraints. The court criticized the Maharashtra government's stance and highlighted the discriminatory nature of the existing Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Rules.

The bench urged the Union government to reconsider the legal frameworks and forms to include unmarried women, supporting their decision with a recent Supreme Court verdict acknowledging the rights of unmarried women under the MTP Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)