Date:20/11/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/20/stories/2002112004001300.htm

National

Pre-natal tests: SC asks Centre, States to file status report

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Nov. 19. The Supreme Court which has ordered a ban on the use of ultra sound scanners for conducting pre-natal diagnostic tests, has asked the Centre, all States and Union Territories (UTs) to file a status report regarding implementation of various orders passed by the Apex court since May 2001.

A Bench comprising Justice M.B. Shah and Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari gave this direction on Monday after the petitioner, CEHAT, which had prepared a series of court orders, sought such a direction. The Bench granted six weeks to the Centre, States and UTs to file their response.

The petitioner wanted the Centre to inform the court about the efforts taken by the Government to create an awareness among the people on the ban imposed by the court; efforts made for effective implementation and monitoring of the PNDT Act; status of the directives and their compliance and whether steps were taken by the Medical Council of India and State Medical Councils against the conduct of sex determination tests.

The petitioner also wanted the Centre to indicate the amendments the Government proposed to introduce in the PNDT Act and the status of framing rules regarding the sale of the scanners.

The States and UTs were asked to inform the court as to whether they had appointed fully empowered appropriate authorities at the district and sub-district levels along with the advisory committee's to aid and advise appropriate authorities; whether they had taken steps to ensure that advertisements by clinics for `abortion' were prohibited; the number of registered clinics using the scanners and steps taken by them to create awareness among the public about various orders.