The Supreme Court on Monday heard a plea against age restrictions on women for pre-pregnancy and prenatal diagnostic tests. The court has given four weeks time to the central government to file a reply in the matter. A bench of Justices SK Kaul and AS Oka noted that the respondent has sought time to file its counter affidavit. Also, the apex court has fixed a date after eight weeks for hearing the petition. 

The plea cited Section 4(3)(i) of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 as a restriction on reproductive rights of women up to the age limit of 35 years. As per the Act, no pre-natal diagnostic technique shall be used or conducted unless the age of the pregnant woman is more than 35 years.

In a landmark judgment on women's reproductive rights, the apex court had said that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, and can make any distinction on the basis of their marital status.