In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Thursday stated that every woman had the right to undergo legal and safe abortion, adding that marital status was no ground to deny it.
According to news reports, the court stated that unmarried women should be allowed to seek an abortion under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, which allows abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy.
The bench added that the provisions of the law had to be fine-tuned with the times, adding that the distinction between married and unmarried was ‘artificial and constitutionally unsustainable’.
The bench pointed out that any law cannot be static; evolving status of relationships like live-in should be recognized by the law.
The court had also said that those women who suffer from desertion irrespective of marital status should be included in the seven categories of women eligible for abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy.
India’s abortion laws have been progressive for decades, with the implementation of the MTP Act in 1971.
In the US, there was a furor recently over a ruling that struck down the right to abortion, which has multiple implications—medical, social, and economic.
Studies in the US have indicated that 40% of abortions are for financial reasons. Putting off an unplanned pregnancy has led to better wages for some women, according to another study.
