India, Oct. 16 -- The Bombay High Court had taken a restrictive approach of the rules under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, without addressing constitutional principles governing reproductive autonomy and risks to a pregnant woman's mental health. This was stated by the 33-year-old Pune engineer seeking an abortion in her petition filed before the Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the plea on Friday.

Past the 24th week of pregnancy, the woman had alleged that her husband had cheated her by concealing his first marriage. She also stated that she did not wish to bear the child of a bigamist who had also mentally and physically harassed her.

The woman is challenging the October 6 order of a division bench of the high...