Case Title: XYZ vs State of Gujarat
A single bench of justice Samir Dave of Gujarat High Court while allowing a 17-years-old girl’s plea and permitted her to terminate her 19-week pregnancy.
“If the victim does not want to continue with her pregnancy then this court cannot compel her to continue her pregnancy,……..the application is allowed. The respondent No.4 herein, Chief Medical Officer/ Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, Gandhinagar is directed to take necessary steps for undertaking the procedure of medical termination of pregnancy of the applicant-victim girl at the earliest possible time and in any case, within
a period of one week from today”.
The bench invoked a verse from Skanda Purana on value of motherhood in our society.
“नास्ति मािसृ
मा छाया नास्ति मािसृ
मा गतििः। नास्ति मािसृ
मं त्राणं नास्ति समा प्रपा।।
(Skanda Purana: Chapter 6. 103-104) अर्ााि – मािा के समान कोई छाया नह ं,
कोई आश्रय नह ं, कोई सुरक्षा नह ं। मािा के समान इस विश्ि मेंकोई जीिनदािा नह ं।“
अर्ााा- माा के समान कोई छाया नह ं समान कोई छाया नह ं छाया नह ं , कोई छाया नह ं
आश्रय नह ं, कोई छाया नह ंसुरक्षा नह ं। माा के समान कोई छाया नह ंसमान इस वि$श्ि
मेंकोई जीिनदािा नह ं। मेंकोई जीिनदािा नह ं। कोई छाया नह ंजी$नदाा नह ं। “
However, man who booked under the POCSO requested the bench to not to allow the plea of the girl as she had not agreed to terminate her Pregnancy, she was being pressurized by her parents. While rejecting his request, justice said “The respondent no.6 has filed an affidavit objecting to the termination of pregnancy of victim, this Court would
give weightage to the wish and desire of the victim, though she is residing with her parents. There is not much significance to the objection raised by the respondent no.6 in view of the fact that the relationship between the
respondent no.6 and the victim as on today does not have any legal recognition and victim is minor.
