|
DOCUMENT
The Supreme Court Judgment
dated May 4, 2001 in the PNDT Act, 1994The Supreme Court Judgment dated May 4,
2001 in the PNDT Act, 1994
In the Supreme Court of India, Civil
Original Jurisdiction, Writ Petition (Civil) No. 301 of 2000
CEHAT, MASUM
& Sabu George (Petitioners) v/s Union of India & Others
(Respondents)
Order
It is unfortunate that for one reason or
the other, the practice of female infanticide still prevails despite the fact
that gentle touch of a daughter and her voice has soothing effect on the
parents. One of the reasons may be the marriage problem faced by the parents
coupled with the dowry demand by the so-called educated and/or rich persons who
are well placed in the society. The traditional system of female infanticide
whereby female baby was done away with after birth by poisoning or letting her
choke on husk continues in a different form by taking advantage of advance
medical techniques. Unfortunately, developed medical science is misused to get
rid of a girl child before birth. Knowing full well that it is immoral and
unethical as well as it may amount to an offence, foetus of a girl child is
aborted by qualified and unqualified doctors or compounders. This has affected
overall sex ratio in various States where female infanticide is prevailing
without any hindrance. For controlling the situation, the Parliament in its
wisdom enacted the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of
Misuse) Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as "the PNDT Act"). The Preamble,
inter alia, provides that the object of the Act is to prevent the misuse of such
techniques for the purpose of pre-natal sex determination leading to female
feoticide and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Act
came into force from 1st January, 1996.
It is apparent that to a large
extent, the PNDT Act is not implemented by the Central Government or by the
State Governments. Hence, the petitioners are required to approach this Court
under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. One of the petitioners is the
Centre for Enquiry Into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), which is a research
centre of Anusandhan Trust based in Pune and Mumbai. Second petitioner is Mahila
Sarvangeen Utkarsh Mandal (MASUM) based in Pune, Maharashtra and the third
petitioner is Dr. Sabu M.George who is having experience and technical knowledge
in the field. After filing of this petition, this Court issued notices to the
concerned parties on 9.5.2000. It took nearly one year for the various States to
file their affidavits in reply / written submissions. Prima facie it appears
that despite the PNDT Act being enacted by the Parliament five years back,
neither the State Governments nor the Central Government has taken appropriate
actions for its implementation. Hence, after considering the respective
submissions made at the time of hearing of this matter, as suggested by the
learned Attorney General for India, Mr. Soli J.Sorabjee following directions are
issued on the basis of various provisions for the proper implementation of the
PNDT Act.
I. Directions to the Central
Government
The Central Government is directed to create public
awareness against the practice of pre-natal determination of sex and female
foeticide through appropriate releases/programmes in the electronic media. This
shall also be done by Central Supervisor/Board ('CSB' for short) as provided
under Section 16 (iii) of the PNDT Act.
The Central Government is directed to
implement with all vigour and zeal the PNDT Act and the Rules framed in 1996.
Rule 15 provides that the intervening period between two meetings of the Advisor
Committees constituted under sub - section (5) of Section 17 of the PNDT Act to
advise the appropriate authority shall not exceed 60 days. It would be seen that
this rule is strictly adhered to.
II. Directions to the Central
Supervisory Board (CSB)
1. Meeting of the CSB will be held at least
once in six moths. [Re. Proviso to Section 9(1)]. The constitution of the CSB is
provided under Section 7. It empowers the Central Government to appoint ten
member under Section 7(2)(e) which includes eminent medical practitioners
including eminent social scientists and representatives of women welfare
organizations. We hope that this power will be exercised so as to include those
persons who can genuinely spare time for implementation of the Act.
2. The
CSB shall review and monitor the implementation of the Act. [Re. Section
16(ii)].
3. The CSB shall issue directions to all State/UT Appropriate
Authorities to furnish quarterly returns to the CSB giving a report on the
implementation and working of the Act. These returns should inter alia contain
specific information about:
· Survey of bodies specified in section 3 of the
Act.
· Registration of bodies specified in section 3 of the Act.
· Action
taken against non-registered bodies operating in violation of section 3 of the
Act, inclusive of search and seizure of records.
· Complaints received by the
appropriate Authorities under the Act and action taken pursuant
thereto.
· Number and nature of awareness campaigns conducted and
results flowing therefrom
4. The CSB shall examine the necessity to amend
the Act keeping in mind emerging technologies and difficulties encountered in
implementation of the Act and to make recommendations to the Central Government.
[Re. Section 16]
5. The CSB shall lay down a code of conduct under section
16(iv) of the Act to be observed by persons working in bodies specified therein
and to ensure its publication so that public at large can know about it.
6.
The CSB will require medical professional bodies / associations to create
awareness against the practice of pre - natal determination of sex and female
foeticide and to ensure implementation of the
Act.
III. Directions to State
Government/UT Administrations
1. All State Governments/UT
Administrations are directed to appoint by notification, fully empowered
Appropriate Authorities at district and sub - district levels and also Advisory
Committees to aid and advise the Appropriate Authority in discharge of its
functions [Re. Section 17 (5)]. For the Advisory Committee also, it is hoped
that members of the said Committee as provided under section 17(6) (d) should be
such persons who can devote some time for the work assigned to them.
2. All
State Governments/UT Administrations are directed to publish a list of the
Appropriate Authorities in the print and electronic media in its respective
State/UT.
3. All State Governments/UT Administrations are directed to create
public awareness against the practice of pre-natal determination of sex and
female foeticide through advertisement in the print and electronic media by
hoardings and other appropriate means.
4. All State Governments/UT
Administrations are directed to ensure that all State/UT Appropriate Authorities
furnish quarterly returns to the CSB giving a report on the implementation and
working of the Act. These returns should inter alia contain specific information
about:
·Survey of bodies specified in section 3 of the Act.
·Registration
of bodies specified in section of the Act.
· Action taken against
non-registered bodies operating in violation of section 3 of the Act inclusive
of search and seizure of records.
· Complaints received by the Appropriate
Authorities under the Act and action taken pursuant thereto.
· Number
and nature of awareness campaigns conducted and results flowing
therefrom.
IV. Directions to Appropriate
Authorities
1. Appropriate Authorities are directed to take prompt
action against any person or body who issues or causes to be issued any
advertisement in violation of section 22 of the Act.
2. Appropriate
Authorities are directed to take prompt action against all bodies specified in
section 3 of the Act as also against persons who are operating without a valid
certificate of registration under the Act.
3. All State/UT Appropriate
Authorities are directed to furnish quarterly returns to the CSB giving a report
on the implementation and working of the Act. These returns should inter alia
contain specific information about:
· Survey of bodies specified in section 3
of the Act.
· Registration of bodies specified in section 3 of the Act inc
luding bodies using ultrasound machines.
· Action taken against
non-registered bodies operating in violation of section 3 of the Act, inclusive
of search and seizure of records.
· Complaints received by the Appropriate
Authorities under the Act and action taken pursuant thereto.
· Number and
nature of awareness campaigns conducted and results flowing therefrom.
The
CSB and the State Government / Union Territories are directed to report to this
Court on or before 30th July 2001. List the matter on 6.8.2001 for further
directions at the bottom of the list.
(M.B.Shah), (S.N.
Variava), New Delhi: May 4, 2001
|
