The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed two legislations—The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 paving way for increasing the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 weeks for “special categories of women” which include rape survivors and The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 which seeks to provide for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals.
The Bill on MTP (Amendment) 2020 also provides for setting up of State-level Medical Boards to decide if a pregnancy may be terminated after 24 weeks in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities.
The Bill was passed in March last year in the Lok Sabha. “A demand to send the bill to a select committee of Rajya Sabha was defeated by voice vote, along with some other amendments proposed by members. “The bill as amended is passed,” Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said.
The Bill increases the time period within which abortion may be carried out. Currently, abortion requires the opinion of one doctor if it is done within 12 weeks of conception and two doctors if it is done between 12 and 20 weeks. The Bill allows abortion to be done on the advice of one doctor up to 20 weeks, and two doctors in the case of certain categories of women between 20 and 24 weeks.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the amendments in the bill have been made after studying global practices and wide consultation within the country. “Under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will not frame any law which harms women. This is to preserve and protect dignity of women,” he said. However, various Opposition parties like the Congress, CPI-M and the NCP demanded that the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 be sent to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha.
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 provides for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of a central register and state register and creation of a system to improve research and development and adoption of latest scientific advancement.