PCPNDT Act, 1994
special enforcement mechanism
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 was enacted to check the misuse of diagnostic techniques (ultrasound, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis) for prenatal sex determination and selection, in response to India's declining child sex ratio. It was substantially strengthened by the 2003 amendment, which brought pre-conception sex-selection techniques within its ambit and renamed the law from the original PNDT Act, 1994.
- Prescribes a dedicated regulatory and enforcement structure: Appropriate Authorities (at state/district level) who register diagnostic clinics, inspect records, and are empowered to investigate and file complaints.
- Section 17(4) vests investigative responsibility for offences under the Act with the Appropriate Authority.
- Section 27 makes offences under the Act cognizable and non-bailable.
- Section 28 restricts a court from taking cognisance of an offence except on a complaint made by the Appropriate Authority, an officer authorised by the Central/State Government, or a person who has given the Appropriate Authority 15 days' notice of the alleged offence and intention to file a complaint.
● Tracked since March 09, 2026 · last seen August 25, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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