New Delhi: On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India ruled that an unmarried woman can undergo an abortion up to 24 weeks on par with that of married women under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.
The top court said sexual assault by husbands can take the form of rape and the meaning of rape must include the meaning of marital rape under the MTP Act and Rules for the purposes of abortion.
“The distinction between married and unmarried woman for the purposes of the MTP Act is artificial and constitutionally unsustainable and it perpetuates the stereotype that only married women indulges in sexual activities,” the SC said.