Medical termination of Pregnancy Bill 2020-THE HINDU-31-01-2020

News:

• The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. It will be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament.

Key highlights:

• According to a release, the proposed amendment seeks to enhance the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women that will be defined in the amendments to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules and will include ‘vulnerable women including survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable women (like differently-abled women, minors) etc.

• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 is for expanding access of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian or social grounds.

• Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the amemdment to the ACT would ensure a safe termination of pregnancies and also give women reproductive rights over their bodies.