The case describes how the government formulated its policy on abortion. Until 1972 Indian law on abortion was based on the Indian Penal Code enacted about a century ago. In 1964 the Shah Committee was appointed to examine the question of legalization of abortion. In 1967, the committee recommended the liberalization of existing provision. A draft bill, entitled The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill, 1969, was introduced in the Rajya Sabha and after some more deliberations the act was finally passed in 1972. Though there was consensus on the nature of the proposed change, the debate centered on the question of legalization of abortion without restrictions and on limited liberalization of the existing law. In this respect, two issues are important: 1) the question of linking abortion to birth control, and 2) the degree and kinds of restrictions to be placed on the procedure for approving abortions.