On basis of No of their marital status, all women in India now have access to safe and legal abortions up until the 24th week of pregnancy, according to the Supreme Court of India.
The highest court in India stated that any “artificial distinction between married and unmarried women cannot be supported” and that a woman must have the freedom to exercise her rights.
The 73 million single women in India will applaud the decision.
More than 50 nations have altered their legislation regarding abortions on demand in the last 20 years. While some nations have widened access, others have limited a woman’s freedom of choice.
In a case in the US in June, the Supreme Court invalidated the important Roe v. Wade ruling that had made abortion lawful.
Only married women, divorcees, widows, minors, “disabled and mentally ill women,” and victims of sexual assault or rape were eligible for the operation – According to India’s Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971.
In its most recent groundbreaking decision, the three-judge panel of Justices DY Chandrachud, A.S. Bopanna, and J.B. Pardiwala also recognized marital rape as a circumstance that automatically grants access to abortion.
The court determined that an unwelcome pregnancy for a married woman qualifies as marital rape.
Although there are efforts to change this, marital rape is not considered a crime under Indian law.
