All women entitled to safe & legal abortion, distinction between married & unmarried women unconstitutional: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today ruled that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortion and that the distinction between married and unmarried women in this matter is unconstitutional. The Apex court said, unmarried women are also entitled to seek abortion of pregnancy in the term of 20-24 weeks arising out of a consensual relationship.

A Bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, A.S. Bopanna and J.B. Pardiwala had reserved judgment in the case on 23rd of August.

The case arose when a 25-year-old unmarried woman approached the Delhi High Court seeking termination of her pregnancy at 23 weeks and 5 days, stating that her pregnancy arose out of a consensual relationship.

However, she could not give birth to the child as she was an unmarried woman and her partner had refused to marry her.

However, a division bench of Delhi High Court refused interim relief to her.