India’s top court gives equal abortion access to all women

By BHUMIKA SARASWATI
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s Supreme Court has ruled that all women, regardless of marital status, can obtain abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies. Previously, under Indian law, married women could have abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies, but single women were limited to 20 weeks. On Thursday, the court extended the 24-week period to all women. It said denying single women the same access to abortion violated the right to equality before the law under India’s Constitution. The judgment was cheered by reproductive rights activists, who said the court has ensured that the law does not discriminate and expands the right to safe and legal abortions to single women.