Rajya Sabha passed a bill on 16th March, Tuesday to raise the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 for "special categories of women" including rape survivors, victims of incest, minors and differently-abled.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 was passed by voice vote. The bill was passed by Lok Sabha about a year ago. A resolution moved by a Congress leader to send the bill to a select committee of Rajya Sabha was defeated by voice vote, along with some other amendments proposed by members.

"The bill as amended is passed," Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman said. The Union Health Minister said the amendments in the bill have been made after studying global practices and wide consultation within the country. "Under the leadership of the honourable prime minister, we will not frame any law which harms women. This is to preserve and protect the dignity of women," he said. The minister said the suggestions and objections made to the bill by some members were symbolic in nature and aligned with their party ideology. Besides Congress, members of various parties had demanded to send the bill to the select committee.

The bill amends the act passed in 1971 to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2020. Under the new act, pregnancy in special can be terminated - where the length of the pregnancy exceeds 20 weeks but does not exceed 24 weeks" if no less than two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or of grave injury to her physical or mental health or there is a substantial risk that if the child were born, it would suffer from any serious physical or mental abnormality.

The act bars registered medical practitioners from revealing the name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated as per the new law except to a person authorised by any law during that time. Anyone who violates the privacy norms defined under the act may be punished with imprisonment of up to 1 year or fine or both under the amended act.

Every state government and union territory will have to constitute a medical board comprising a gynaecologist, a paediatrician, a radiologist or sonologist and any member as may be notified by the respective government to handle functions under-prescribed by rules under the new act.