India, Oct. 14 -- The Bombay high court on Monday permitted a 22-year-old unmarried woman to medically terminate her 21-week pregnancy, despite a medical board finding no grounds for the termination. The court cited recognition of the woman's right to "reproductive autonomy" and to make an independent decision about her body while giving the permission.

"She is an adult and is capable of taking her own independent decisions," a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna said, adding that the decision was based on the peculiar facts of the case and should not be treated as a precedent.

On October 7, the court directed the dean of the Sir JJ Group of Hospitals to constitute a medical board to clinica...