New Delhi: The Supreme Court, exercising its extraordinary powers, granted permission on Monday for a 14-year-old girl to undergo an abortion despite her pregnancy being at the 30-week mark. This decision came after a medical board from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Hospital and Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, concluded that continuing the pregnancy would have severe adverse effects on the girl's physical and mental health.

Chief Justice of India Dy Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala presiding over the bench stated, "Considering the exceptional circumstances of the case, the minor's age, and the fact that the pregnancy resulted from a sexual assault on her, we direct Sion Hospital to proceed with the medical termination of the pregnancy." Additionally, the court ruled that all expenses related to the abortion and post-care treatment of the minor would be covered by the Maharashtra government.

The mother of the minor girl had approached the Supreme Court on April 19 after the Bombay High Court had refused to grant permission for the abortion. The High Court based its decision on a report from JJ Hospital's medical board, which did not adequately consider the emotional well-being of the minor due to the continuation of the pregnancy.

The Supreme Court took up the case against the Bombay High Court on April 19, even after working hours. It directed the formation of a new medical board to evaluate the minor's condition and assess the impact of continuing the pregnancy. On Monday, the Supreme Court considered the report from the newly formed medical board, which recommended the termination of the pregnancy.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, assisting the court, pointed out that last year, the Supreme Court had used its extraordinary powers to allow the termination of a pregnancy at 31 weeks, surpassing the legal limit of 24 weeks for such procedures.

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