Teen rape survivor from B'luru seeks SC OK for abortion

A 17-year-old rape survivor from Bengaluru moved the Supreme Court on Monday for the termination of her 25-week pregnancy.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the head of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) to set up a medical board on Tuesday to examine her case. The court put the matter for consideration on Thursday.

Advocate Nikhil Nayyar, representing the girl, challenged the order passed by the High Court of Karnataka on August 31, 2017, declining her plea for abortion.

The court sought the opinion of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, who submitted that a medical board should be set up at the BMCRI to examine the matter.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, ordered constitution of the medical board that would comprise experts from various departments. The board’s report would be considered on September 21. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, prohibits abortion of foetus beyond 20 weeks.

The high court had refused the girl’s plea by saying that the medical opinions tendered by Vani Vilas Hospital on August 28 have pointed out the “risks and complications inherent to the second trimester of medical termination of pregnancy”. It also noted another opinion given by experts from the MS Ramaiah Medical College that there was no risk in continuing the pregnancy.

The girl, however, expressed unwillingness to continue the pregnancy, saying she wanted to complete her studies. She also sought the court’s directions for preserving the terminated foetus for DNA testing and analysis to assist the investigation in the rape case.