India, Oct. 26 -- While allowing a 17-year-old rape survivor to terminate her 29-week pregnancy, the Delhi high court has held that a woman's plea for termination of pregnancy must be assessed by taking into account her rights and interests, rather than strictly relying on the statutory 24-week limit.

"The question of medical termination of pregnancy cannot be merely determined or restricted by the statutory period of 24 weeks, but must be examined in the context of the facts and circumstances of each case, including the age and the reason of such pregnancy, the medical opinion placed on record, and the rights and the interest of the pregnant woman," a bench of justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said in his October 24 verdict.

The cour...