The Supreme Court of India has warned the Union government of contempt proceedings if it fails to comply with its order permitting a 15-year-old girl to terminate her over 28-week pregnancy at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The court rejected an urgent plea by the government to list a review petition in open court, emphasizing that the operative directions had already been issued and were binding.
The court expressed surprise at the government's haste in seeking a review before the detailed judgment was released, saying that the government had filed the review without waiting for the full order.
The warning comes two days after the court delivered a strongly worded ruling foregrounding reproductive autonomy and the right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The court had held that no woman, and more so a minor child, can be compelled to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term against her will, and that constitutional courts must prioritize the welfare and wishes of the pregnant woman over procedural limitations.
The minor, who has been admitted at AIIMS since April 10, is to undergo the procedure with all necessary medical safeguards in place.
