As per a statement by Union Cabinet, the proposed law will help survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable women (like differently-abled women, Minors) and others. The newly proposed bill comes as an amendment to Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
The Bill will be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament starting January 31. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar shared the information after the decision taken into the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Javadekar said that this will ensure safe termination of pregnancies and also give women reproductive rights over their bodies. "The extension to 24 weeks will also help victims of rape, girls with disabilities as well as minors, who may not realise they are pregnant until later," he said.
"In a progressive reform and giving reproductive rights to women the limit of 20 weeks of medical termination of pregnancy has been increased to 24 weeks. This is important because in first 5 months there are cases where the girl concerned doesn't realise and has to go to court. This was discussed with various stakeholders," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added.
However, the extension of upper limit for abortions will not be applicable in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities diagnosed by Medical Board.
The proposed bill also states that name and other details of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated shall not be revealed to anyone except the authorised person in any law for the time being in force.
The Union Cabinet also said that the move is aimed at discouraging informal termination of pregnancies and reducing the maternal mortality rate. "The proposed increase in gestational age will ensure dignity, autonomy, confidentiality and justice for women who need to terminate pregnancy," it added.
The Indian Penal Code criminalises abortion. The law also sanctions punishment for the mother as well as for the abortionist if they were to abort a child where the life of the mother is not at risk. Currently, abortion after 20 weeks is allowed only if the life of mother is in danger, or the foetus cannot survive.