PCPNDT Act

In April Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification which put on hold the implementation of certain rules of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex-Selection Rules) of 1996 till June 30, 2020.

One of the suspended provisions, Rule 8, is intrinsically connected with the statute’s provisions dealing with the mandatory registration of genetic counselling centres, laboratories and clinics, Non-compliance leads to penalty.
The rules require ultrasound clinics to maintain detailed records of pregnant women who undergo foetal scans in the clinics and submit them to local health authorities.
Sections of doctors representing ultrasound clinics have in the past complained that such record-keeping is time-consuming.
Ultrasound clinics, like other medical services, would be considered essential and could remain open during the lockdown.
Foetal medicine specialists point out that the suspension of rules would enable clinics to process patients faster and reduce their waiting time at clinics in line with social-distancing measures.
Suspending the rule means clinics need not produce any records till June 30.
This could be misused by unscrupulous sections to conduct sex determination tests freely.
This Central government has arbitrarily and selectively weakened legislation aimed at curbing the pernicious activity of sex selection and sex determination.
Supreme Court recently asked the government to explain its decision to suspend crucial rules of a parliamentary law against pre-natal sex determination and sex selection till June end, amid the COVID-19 national lockdown.

Source: IE

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