Taking into account the welfare of a 17-year-old girl who wanted to continue her studies, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed her to terminate her pregnancy as per her wish.
Justice M.S.Ramesh, considered the welfare of the girl, who intended to continue her studies, and as a result wanted to terminate her pregnancy. There was no valid marriage between the minor girl and her partner, the Court said.
It was ascertained by qualified medical practitioners that the girl was medically fit for the termination of her pregnancy. The girl was allowed to terminate her pregnancy as under Section 3 (1) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act,1971 after it was ascertained that the girl’s gestation period did not exceed 20 weeks. The girl was pregnant with 15 weeks of gestation.
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The pregnancy was allowed to be terminated under Section 3 (2) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, where a registered medical practitioner can terminate the pregnancy after obtaining opinions from two registered medical practitioners. The girl shall undergo the surgery for the termination and a report of which shall be maintained, the Court said.
The petition was filed by the father representing the girl. The girl was in a relationship with a boy when she was 16-year-old. However as she was determined to complete her studies, she sought the termination of her pregnancy.