abortionMumbai, Oct 13 (PTI) The Bombay High Court today deniedpermission to a 16-year-old rape survivor, who was in her 27thweek of pregnancy, to undergo an abortion, citing the reportof a panel of doctors which examined her.
A bench headed by Justice Ranjit More turned down theplea filed by the girl's father on her behalf seeking that shebe allowed to terminate her pregnancy.
The order came after a panel of doctors from KEM hospitaland GS Medical College in the city submitted a report advisingthat the girl continue with the pregnancy owing to thepotential risks to her health if the pregnancy is terminatedat such a late stage.
A panel of eight doctors had medically examined thegirl on Thursday.
The girl's father had claimed in the plea thatcontinuing the pregnancy would cause grave injury to her.
He had said that she was not keeping good health, thatshe was suffering from anaemia, and that having and raising achild of rape would also cause further mental and physicaltrauma to her.
During the hearing today, the girl's lawyer also invokedher right to a life of dignity as guaranteed by theConstitution, and argued that subjecting a minor girl to apregnancy that she does not desire was in breach of herconstitutional rights.
The bench, however, said that it could not go againstthe suggestion of the medical experts, and the law that doesnot permit the termination of a pregnancy after 20 weeksunless the mother's life is in danger.
It noted that the doctors' panel had concluded thatthere was no risk to the health of the girl or the foetus ifthe pregnancy was continued to its full term.
The doctors' panel had also suggested in its reportthat if the girl and her family did not wish to raise thechild, they could give it up for adoption.
According to the complaint registered by the girl'sfamily with the Thane police in August this year, a localdelivery boy raped and sexually assaulted her after promisingmarriage.
He, however, later absconded and the girl discoveredthat she was pregnant when she went to a hospital for a checkup. PTI AYA RMTRTRYS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.