Conclude all female foeticide trials in 4 mths: SC to Haryana

The Supreme Court today directed Haryana government to complete trial of cases lodged for offences of sex determination and female foeticide within four months, observing that decline in the sex ratio was "disturbing".
"Decline in sex-ratio is a disturbing problem and the same is likely to affect the civilisation in entirety. Women are the basic pillar of human race in any society.
"The counsel for Haryana has submitted that sex ratio has been decreasing and the same is demonstrated in the affidavit. Declining sex ratio is a disturbing problem," a bench of justices Dipak Misra and Abhay Manohar Sapre said.

The bench, which today took up the case of Haryana, said the trial in nearly 102 cases, registered under the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act for the offences of sex determination and female foeticide, be completed within four months starting February one.
"Trial pending before different courts, besides the cases in which the Punjab and Haryana High Court or the apex court have not stayed the trial, shall proceed speedily and be finalized within period of four months commencing February 1," the bench said.
The counsel for Haryana shall provide the list of pending cases to the Registrar General of the High Court, which in turn, would circulate them to concerned District and Sessions judges where the matters are pending.

It also said that Haryana may mull appointing panel of lawyers who can guide authorities to take proper action in female foeticide cases so that any action taken under the PNDT Act doesn't collapse due to technical flaws.