Supreme Court Pressures States for Action on Prenatal Sex Selection Law

The Supreme Court has given states four weeks to respond to a plea urging the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. This decision comes amidst concerns that five states have not yet presented their positions on the issue.

Senior advocate Sanjay Parikh emphasized that the law is not being enforced correctly, resulting in significant acquittals without subsequent appeals. The Supreme Court's bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan criticized the lack of prosecution, which has led to these acquittals.

The petitioner, advocate Shobha Gupta, has argued that the legal framework, including appeal mandates against acquittals, is not being fully enforced, undermining efforts to save unborn children by preventing sex-based selection. The plea also calls for strict adherence to regulations to enhance conviction rates.

(With inputs from agencies.)