Minor's pregnancy: Amend law on pregnancy termination of rape survivors, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India emphasized that a minor cannot be forced to carry a pregnancy, urging the government to amend laws to allow rape survivors to terminate pregnancies beyond the current 20-week limit. The court criticized the Centre and AIIMS for opposing the termination of a 15-year-old's 30-week pregnancy, highlighting the need for legal flexibility and faster judicial processes in such cases. It stressed the importance of bodily autonomy and timely resolution to reduce trauma for child survivors.
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A minor child cannot be forced to bear a pregnancy, the Supreme Court of India said on Thursday (April 30, 2026) while pulling up the Centre and asking it to amend the law to permit rape survivors to terminate unwanted pregnancies even beyond 20 weeks.In a ruling with far reaching implications for rape survivors, including children, and the issue of autonomy over their bodies, a Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took strong exception to a plea by AIIMS seeking to set aside the apex court order allowing a 15-year-old girl to medically terminate her 30-week pregnancy."Please amend your law that when there is pregnancy due to rape etc, then time limitation will not be there. The law needs to be organic and in sync evolving times.
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