The Supreme Court on Thursday gave a woman from Pune permission to abort her 24-week-old foetus. A team of doctors from the city’s BJ Government Medical College had examined the 20-year-old’s case, in which the foetus was said to have no brain and skull. They had said there was no treatment available for such a medical condition, PTI reported.

The 20-year-old had moved the court saying that if the child was born alive, it may not survive.

The central government, represented by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, also told the court that it has informed all states and union territories to constitute medical boards to deal with such cases. “The Union of India has communicated to all the states and union territories about having such medical boards in place,” Kumar told the court.

Indian law allows abortion of foetuses up to 20 weeks old, but courts can make exceptions in case abnormalities are detected.