NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the socially entrenched patriarchal bias for a male child and covert use of sex-selection methods. On Thursday, it said that the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act must be strictly enforced until societal mindset changes.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra pointed to schemes like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”, “Janani Suraksha Yojana” and “Ladli Lakshmi Yojana” as evidence of ongoing efforts to address the systemic bias against girls in a patriarchal set-up.
The court noted that while progress has been made, significant work still remains to be done. “The preference for a male child continues to plague our society. Legislation alone cannot change mindset, but the PCPNDT Act is a vital instrument to check sex-selective practices,” the bench observed.
Hearing a plea on effective implementation of the 1994 act, the court said illegal sex determination persists through unregistered machines and clandestine clinics despite the ban.
It directed authorities to carry out regular inspections, take strict action against offenders and run awareness campaigns to counter social bias. “Until the mentality changes, the law must be enforced in letter and spirit. The goal is prevention, not just punishment,” the bench added.