India's top court rejects plea for termination of 10-year-old rape survivor's pregnancy
Supreme Court of India
The top court considered the report of the medical board that termination of pregnancy was neither good for the girl nor for the foetus
The Supreme Court of India has rejected a plea seeking its approval for the termination of thepregnancy of a 10-year-old rape survivor who is 32-weeks (eight months) pregnant.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, had asked Chandigarh's Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) to examine the rape survivor and the consequences if the termination of pregnancy was allowed.
It took note of the report of the medical board set up by PGIthat termination of pregnancy was neither good for the girl nor for the foetus.
The court also suggested that the federal government set up a permanent medical board in each state to take prompt decisions in such cases.
The bench asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to consider its suggestionin view of the fact that the frequency of such cases before the top court had increased.
The PIL was filed after a Chandigarh district court on July 18 refused to let the girl undergo the abortion after it was confirmed that she was 26 weeks pregnant.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How fast can the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet really fly?
)
Earth-Theia collision created the moon in just 5 hours, study shows
)
Nigerian Navy discovers 99,000 litres of suspected stolen, illegally refined products as it intensifies anti-crude oil theft operations
)
Who is Aditi Paudel? 17-year-old becomes Japan's first literacy ambassador
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US tanks can spin their heavy turrets much faster than Russian tanks
)
Man pushes Russian humanoid robot. Watch what happens next
)
Nobel laureate Machado says Venezuela’s ‘illegitimate’ regime has no right to strike US oil deal
)
The Verdict: Peace for Iran, pressure on Afghanistan: Pakistan’s contradictory diplomacy
)
Netherlands shifts 86 tonnes of gold reserve to UK citing geopolitical risks
)
Breaking | Vance takes the podium: First White House briefing since Leavitt's exit
)
Report: Egypt eyes new Rafale F4 deal amid air force modernisation push
)
WION Exclusive: Hasina says she reads father’s unfinished memoir while planning Dhaka return
)
Inside Iran's shadow fleet: How Tehran dodges the US blockade at sea
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI uses a giant air brake on its back instead of its wings
)
Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy creates history with 350 not out in South Africa
)
ISRO stages comeback with GSLV-F17/EOS-05 success; targets six more launches
)
‘I wouldn’t call it a war,’ says JD Vance on ongoing conflict with Iran
)
Iran's army conducts drone & missile attack on US bases
)
Happy Krishna Janmashtami 2026 wishes: 30+ messages, quotes, greetings, and WhatsApp status ideas to share
)
Husband uses secret camera to record wife’s affair, wins divorce case, ends up in jail for spying
)
Suvendu Adhikari threatens to cut school aid over refusal to sing full Vande Mataram
)
At least 2 killed in Minneapolis shooting, suspect also dead
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why Russian fighter jets use bulky, low-pressure tyres compared to US jets
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US tanks weigh over 20 tons more than Russian tanks
)
Major AI platforms ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok hit by simultaneous service disruptions
)
NATO troops gather in Arctic, Russia threatens nuclear retaliation
)
Manipur violence: 25 houses torched in Manipur’s Kangpokpi a day after 10 homes were burnt along Imphal-Tamenglong road
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (September 4, 2026): GDN, Dhamaal 4, Jagamae Sangeetham- Watch 6 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Iran attacks US bases in Kuwait & UAE, supersecret missile project in focus | Gravitas
)
Influencer shows off what he claims is Apple's first foldable iPhone 18 Ultra
Her advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava had argued before the court that as per doctors, the pelvic bones of the girl were not fully developed and a full-term pregnancy at her tender age was extremely risky.
Courts allow medical termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. Exception can be made if the foetus is genetically abnormal.
The petition had requested the top court to frame appropriate guidelines to set up a permanent medical board in each district of India for expedient termination of pregnancies in exceptional cases involving child rape survivors and under the best-possible medical facilities.
It had also asked the top court to direct the government to amend Section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, so as to permit termination of pregnancy of more than 20 weeks, particularly involving child rape survivors after obtaining the opinion of a permanently constituted medical board.
The girl was allegedly repeatedly raped by her maternal uncle, a hotel worker, over the past few months. He has been arrested.
Her father is a watchman and mother works as a domestic help.