Medical examination of a child
Full Text
(1) The medical examination of a child in respect of whom any offence has been committed under this Act, shall, notwithstanding that a First Information Report or complaint has not been registered for the offences under this Act, be conducted in accordance with section 164A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
(2) In case the victim is a girl child, the medical examination shall be conducted by a woman doctor.
(3) The medical examination shall be conducted in the presence of the parent of the child or any other person in whom the child reposes trust or confidence.
(4) Where, in case the parent of the child or other person referred to in sub-section (3) cannot be present, for any reason, during the medical examination of the child, the medical examination shall be conducted in the presence of a woman nominated by the head of the medical institution.
Plain English Summary
Mandates immediate medical examination under Section 164A CrPC even before FIR registration, requiring a female doctor for girl victims, and presence of parents, a trusted person, or a nominated woman.
Key Legal Elements
- Medical examination under Section 164A CrPC mandatory even prior to formal FIR registration
- Mandatory examination by a woman doctor if victim is a girl child
- Conducted in presence of parents or trusted person
- Presence of a woman nominated by head of hospital if parents cannot be present
Practical Note
Section 27(1) eliminates the notorious barrier of delaying emergency medical care pending FIR registration. The Supreme Court in Aparna Bhat v. State of MP (2021) and Shailesh Kumar (2022) reiterated that the archaic, degrading "two-finger test" is strictly illegal, scientifically baseless, and constitutes medical misconduct.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जिस बालक के संबंध में इस अधिनियम के अधीन कोई अपराध किया गया है, उसका चिकित्सीय परीक्षण (मेडिकल एग्जामिनेशन), भले ही इस अधिनियम के अधीन अपराधों के लिए कोई प्रथम सूचना रिपोर्ट (FIR) या शिकायत दर्ज न की गई हो, दंड प्रक्रिया संहिता, 1973 (1974 का 2) की धारा 164क के अनुसार किया जाएगा।
(2) यदि पीड़िता बालिका है, तो उसका चिकित्सीय परीक्षण किसी महिला चिकित्सक द्वारा किया जाएगा।
(3) चिकित्सीय परीक्षण बालक के माता-पिता अथवा किसी ऐसे अन्य व्यक्ति की उपस्थिति में किया जाएगा जिस पर बालक भरोसा या विश्वास रखता है।
(4) जहां उपधारा (3) में निर्दिष्ट बालक के माता-पिता या अन्य व्यक्ति किसी कारणवश बालक के चिकित्सीय परीक्षण के दौरान उपस्थित नहीं हो सकते, वहां चिकित्सीय परीक्षण चिकित्सा संस्थान के प्रमुख द्वारा नामित किसी महिला की उपस्थिति में किया जाएगा।