Women have right to safe abortion: SC
- SC: Denying an unmarried woman right to safe abortion violates her personal autonomy and freedom.
The appeal
- Supreme Court was hearing appeal of a woman who wanted to abort her 24-week pregnancy after her relationship failed.
What apex court said
- MTP Act, 2021 substituted term ‘husband’ with ‘partner’, signaling that law covered unmarried women within its ambit.
- Woman’s right to reproductive choice is part of her personal liberty under Article 21 of Constitution.
- Forcing a woman to continue with her pregnancy would be violation of her bodily integrity and aggravate her mental trauma.
Prelims take away
- Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 2021
- Article 21 of the Constitution