Abortions till 24 weeks for special categories-THE HINDU-18-03-2020

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The “special categories of women” include rape survivors, victims of incest, the differently abled and minors, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said moving the Bill.

The “special categories of women” include rape survivors, victims of incest, the differently abled and minors, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said moving the Bill.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to amend the MTP Act, 1971, was passed by a voice vote after a debate that lasted two-and-a-half hours. Though Opposition members had moved amendments, they were defeated.

PTI

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill to extend the upper limit for permitting abortions from 20 weeks to 24 under special circumstances. She said that an anomalous foetus could be identified by a ultrasound scan within 16 to 18 weeks instead of waiting for 24 weeks. Opposing the Bill, Dean Kuriakose of the Congress said unrestricted abortions should not be encouraged as “abortions are a crime against humanity”.