Maharashtra health minister Suresh Shetty on Tuesday confirmed that no case could be lodged against a woman aborting her foetus, as there is no provision for the same under the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. He, however, stated that strict action would be taken against the husband and in-laws of the woman if they forced her to undergo a sex-determination test.
Speaking at the calling attention motion in the Assembly in the Beed foeticide case, Mr Shetty said that two competent advocates special public prosecutor Ujawal Nikam and public prosecutor Ujwala Pawar have been appointed for the trial. With the rise in the number of female foetuses found in Beed and other districts in the state, the minister said that 291 cases have been recorded and the machines were sealed in all these cases. “As many as 584 teams have been formed under the PCPNDT Act to check the sonography centres. It is not that action is
taken against all the sonography centres,” said Mr Shetty.
With regards to the demand of some MLAs that there should be cases under section 302 of IPC be recorded against the woman who undergoes an abortion, the minister said that such a proposal would be submitted to the Central government in case the state receives any.
“In last few months, eight meetings of state level advisory committee have been held. Also, district level advisory committees have been formed,” the minister said.