India, Oct. 16 -- The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has expressed serious concern over registered medical practitioners, particularly doctors working in medical college-associated and district hospitals, failing to discharge their statutory responsibilities under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 and the rules framed thereunder, leaving aggrieved women to approach courts for relief.

The court also directed Lalla Ded Hospital here to constitute a competent Medical Board and take immediate action on the request for medical termination of a pregnancy after serious foetal abnormalities were detected at nearly 32 weeks of gestation.

A bench of Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani passed the directions while disposing of a petition filed by ...