GK Question

Answer: True

Reproductive rights under Article 21: (a) Constitutional basis: Article 21 (right to life includes dignity, privacy, autonomy) interpreted to include reproductive rights: (i) Safe abortion: Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (amended 2021) operationalizes right to safe, legal abortion, (ii) Contraception: Access to family planning services as part of right to health, privacy, (iii) Maternal healthcare: Prenatal, delivery, postnatal care as essential for right to life, (b) Judicial recognition: (i) Suchita Srivastava (2009): Reproductive choices part of personal liberty, privacy, dignity under Article 21, (ii) MTP Act amendments: Expanded gestational limits, included unmarried women, recognized reproductive autonomy, (iii) Emerging jurisprudence: Courts increasingly recognize reproductive justice as part of substantive equality, dignity, (c) Applications: (i) Access: Ensuring availability, affordability, accessibility of reproductive healthcare, especially for marginalized groups, (ii) Quality: Standards for safe abortion, maternal care, contraception counseling, (iii) Non-discrimination: Ensuring reproductive rights for all, regardless of marital status, caste, class, disability, (d) Challenges: (i) Implementation: Shortage of providers, infrastructure, especially in rural areas, (ii) Stigma: Social attitudes affect access to reproductive healthcare, (iii) Legal awareness: Women aware of rights, procedures under MTP Act, (e) Illustrates transformative constitutionalism: Article 21 interpreted to include reproductive autonomy; statutory framework operationalizes rights with calibrated safeguards balancing autonomy, health, public interest.