Comments on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994
Submissions to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Summary: Vidhi identifies legal inconsistencies in provisions relating to the powers of the authorities under the Act as well as penalties for its contravention.
The Public Health and Environmental Justice Initiative responded to a call for public comments by the Expert Committee constituted to examine the proposed amendments to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994.
Vidhi’s suggestions focus primarily on the legal inconsistencies and drafting errors in the proposed amendments, which mainly relate to the duties and powers of the authority under the act and the penalties for contravention of the act. Through our suggestions, we attempt to move a step closer to fine-tuning the proposed amendments.
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About the Authors
Dr. Dhvani Mehta {B.L.S. LL.B. (University of Mumbai); BCL, D.Phil (Oxon)} is a Co-Founder at Vidhi and Lead, Health. She has worked specifically on research projects on environmental clearances, the National Green Tribunal, organ transplant laws, end of life care, and pharmaceutical and medical device regulation. She has appeared in the Supreme Court of India in petitions filed by Vidhi on advance medical directives and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy. She has authored chapters on the implementation of environmental judgments and healthcare corruption in India. Dhvani read for a doctoral degree at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, where she was Chairperson of Oxford Pro Bono Publico and an editor of the Oxford Human Rights Hub blog. Her doctoral thesis explores the idea of an environmental rule of law in India and was cited by the Supreme Court of India.
Shreya is a Senior Resident Fellow and Lead, Law, Finance and Development. Her areas of interest are company law, insolvency law, corporate governance and responsible business conduct, fintech and financial inclusion. At Vidhi, she has worked on a diverse range of projects including research and drafting of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and consequent amendments and subordinate legislation, review of offences under the Companies Act, 2013 and drafting of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. Shreya completed her B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from the National Law University, Jodhpur in 2012 and her LLM from the Queen Mary University of London on a Chevening Scholarship in 2019, where her dissertation focused on peer-to-peer lending. She also worked as a Legal Consultant in the Financial Law Unit of the Legal Transition Team at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London in 2019. Prior to joining Vidhi, she worked as an associate at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, Delhi in the mergers & acquisition and real estate team.
