New Delhi, Feb. 6 -- The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the termination of the pregnancy of an 18-year-old girl from Maharashtra, who was allegedly sexually assaulted and was 30 weeks pregnant, observing that a woman's right to bodily autonomy and reproductive choice is paramount.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasised that the Court cannot compel any woman to continue a pregnancy if she is unwilling to do so.

"Ultimately, the denominator is that the child is illegitimate and the mother does not want to bear the child. The mother's reproductive autonomy must be given emphasis. The court cannot compel any woman to complete her pregnancy if she is otherwise not intending to do so. We accept the submission...