The Supreme Court of India has ruled in favor of a 15-year-old girl's right to terminate her over 28-week pregnancy, citing reproductive autonomy and the potential for severe mental and physical trauma if the pregnancy is continued.
The court emphasized that constitutional courts must prioritize the wishes and welfare of the pregnant woman over procedural and statutory limitations, particularly in cases of unwanted pregnancies.
The ruling is expected to have wider implications for how courts approach late-term abortion cases, particularly involving minors, and reinforces the importance of constitutional protections of dignity, autonomy, and decisional privacy.
The court noted that forcing the minor to continue the pregnancy would have long-lasting repercussions on her mental health, education, social standing, and overall development, and that denying relief would expose her to grave risks, including resort to unregulated procedures that may cause irreversible harm.
