Pregnant Women Need Bail, Not Jail: Himachal Pradesh High Court

In the order delivered, Justice Anoop Chitkara batted for pre-arrest bail and suspended sentences for pregnant women to save them from the trauma of giving birth in prison.

Pregnant women need bail and not jail, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has observed while granting anticipatory bail to a seven-month pregnant woman facing possible arrest under a drugs-related charge. In the order delivered Saturday, Justice Anoop Chitkara batted for pre-arrest bail and suspended sentences for pregnant women to save them from the trauma of giving birth in prison. "Pregnant women need bail, not jail! Courts must restore the due and sacrosanct freedom of women in motherhood pro tanto," the court said. Hearing the case through video conference, the judge questioned, "What difference will it make to the State and society by not postponing incarceration? What is so urgent to execute the sentence? Heavens will not fall if incarceration is postponed."