<p>The Supreme Court Friday said it would hear on March 8 the plea filed by a 14-year-old rape victim, who has sought permission to terminate her 26-week pregnancy, saying “time is of the essence” in the case.</p>.<p>A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde allowed the counsel appearing for Haryana to file the medical report of the girl in a sealed cover.</p>.<p>Section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 prohibits termination of pregnancy after 20 weeks.</p>.<p>The top court had on March 2 sought report from the medical board of civil hospital Karnal about the feasibility of her request for termination of pregnancy.</p>.<p>“Time is of the essence in the matter so we are listing it on coming Monday (March 8),” said the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.</p>.<p>“In the meantime, as prayed for, counsel appearing on behalf of respondent-state is allowed to file the medical report of the petitioner in a sealed cover,” the bench said in its order.</p>.<p>The bench was hearing a plea filed by the minor girl who has said that she was pregnant after being raped by one of her relatives.</p>.<p>The top court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and Haryana government seeking their responses by March 5 on the plea, filed through advocate V K Biju.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court Friday said it would hear on March 8 the plea filed by a 14-year-old rape victim, who has sought permission to terminate her 26-week pregnancy, saying “time is of the essence” in the case.</p>.<p>A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde allowed the counsel appearing for Haryana to file the medical report of the girl in a sealed cover.</p>.<p>Section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 prohibits termination of pregnancy after 20 weeks.</p>.<p>The top court had on March 2 sought report from the medical board of civil hospital Karnal about the feasibility of her request for termination of pregnancy.</p>.<p>“Time is of the essence in the matter so we are listing it on coming Monday (March 8),” said the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.</p>.<p>“In the meantime, as prayed for, counsel appearing on behalf of respondent-state is allowed to file the medical report of the petitioner in a sealed cover,” the bench said in its order.</p>.<p>The bench was hearing a plea filed by the minor girl who has said that she was pregnant after being raped by one of her relatives.</p>.<p>The top court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and Haryana government seeking their responses by March 5 on the plea, filed through advocate V K Biju.</p>