HC to hear plea seeking MTP of minor rape victim

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) The Delhi High Court will on Tuesday hear a petition seeking medical termination of pregnancy of a rape victim who is currently a minor.The plea, filed through advocates Anwesh Madhukar and Prachi Nirwan, was mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice C. Harishankar, which has kept the matter for hearing on Tuesday.The petitioner seems directions of the court to ensure that the pregnancy of the woman is medically terminated."The petitioner is a minor girl of 16 years of age and a rape victim. The medical examination of the victim was conducted and the matter was further referred for opinion as the victim was found 24 months pregnant, pursuant to which a FIR was registered," the petition read."The petitioner is aggrieved as section 3 of Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTPA) does not permit the termination of pregnancy in case the period of gestation is more than 20 weeks."
--IANS anb/vd