Orissa HC Seeks MKCGMCH Opinion On Terminating Minor Rape Survivor’s Pregnancy

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has directed the Superintendent of MKCG Medical College & Hospital in Berhampur to form a medical board in three days and give an opinion on terminating the pregnancy of a minor rape survivor who is more than 24 weeks pregnant.

The HC issued the order on a petition filed by the 13-year-old girl’s father seeking direction to constitute a medical board at MKCG to assess and facilitate the termination of her daughter’s pregnancy. The girl suffers from sickle cell anaemia and epilepsy.

As the petition was taken up on Thursday, advocate Arnav Behera, appearing for the petitioner, informed the HC that the minor girl is suffering from sickle cell disease and epilepsy. He further informed that she had become pregnant as a result of rape and given her age and medical condition, continuing the pregnancy would endanger her life, TOI reported.

Considering the submissions of the petitioner’s counsel and that of the state, Justice S K Panigrahi directed the MKCGMCH Superintendent to convene a medical board within three days.

The medical board shall examine the petitioner’s pregnancy status, especially the prognosis about the termination of pregnancy at this stage and submit a detailed report, which shall be placed before this court on the next date of listing, the Judge specified while posting the matter to February 25 for further consideration.

Under the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021, a woman is not allowed to terminate her pregnancy if it has crossed 24 weeks. She needs to seek the permission of the High Court to do so.