Supreme Court tells doctorss to take call on fate of unborn child of 14-year-old rape victim

NEW DELHI: The SC declined to take a call on a plea by a 14-year-old rape survivor seeking to terminate her pregnancy as it had crossed the legally sanctioned limit of 20 weeks. The bench referred the issue to doctors at the Ahmedabad civil hospital after examining the girl. She had been sedated and raped by a doctor while being treated for typhoid.

The team of doctors will also include a clinical psychologist who will assess the girl’s state of mind to ensure that the decision will be in the interest of her physical and mental health.

A foetus can only be terminated after 20 weeks if it represents a threat to the mother’s life.

Kamini Jasiwal, the girl’s lawyer, sought to convince the judges to make a one-time exception in this case. “When does the heart of the foetus start beating?” Justice Kurian Joseph wondered. “What about the rights of the unborn child? Now that it has crossed 20 weeks, it will have to be cut piece by piece.” The bench referred the case to the doctors and listed the case for further hearing next week.