In an advisory to all TV channels on December 11, the I&B ministry asked them to restrict airing of condom advertisements to slots between 10 pm and 6 am, as these "could be indecent or inappropriate for viewing by children". While the Rajasthan High Court has issued a notice to the seeking to know the reasons behind its decision, it seems the government is ill informed about the state of teenage pregnancies in the country. According to a report released by the Sassoon General Hospitals, only in Pune, around 180 unwed mothers, including 92 minor girls, delivered babies this year. While the government wrestles with corporates to impress its mandate pertaining to one of the most popular forms of contraception, most of these unwed mothers claim they were not even aware of abortion rights.

According to some NGOs, these unwed mothers often enroll with government hospitals to procure medical aid through the nine-month term. Representation Pics/ AFP