'Big queue for adoption': Delhi High Court denies permission to unmarried woman to terminate pregnancy

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday denied permission to an unmarried woman to terminate her 23-week pregnancy medically. The court said an abortion at this stage would amount to killing the foetus. A bench, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, said the court would arrange for keeping the woman somewhere safe till her delivery, adding the infant can be listed for adoption. "We will ensure that the girl is kept somewhere safe and she can deliver and go. There is a big queue for adoption," said the bench, also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad.

The court said it would not allow the woman to kill the child. 

"We will not permit you to kill that child. (We are) very sorry. This virtually amounts to killing (the foetus)," it added. 

Elaborating on its decision, the court said it would be killing as almost 24 out of 36 weeks of the gestation period were over. 

The litigant's lawyer said the delivery of the child would cause mental agony to her as she is unmarried. He said the woman is not in a position to raise the child.

The court replied saying that it was not forcing her to raise the child.

"We are not forcing her to raise the child. We will ensure that you go to a good hospital. Your whereabouts will not be known to anyone. Deliver the baby, please come back," the court added.

The Chief Justice said the woman would be looked after by the government of India or the Delhi government. He also offered the woman financial help. 

With inputs from PTI