NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - India's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a woman's lack of marital status could not deny her the choice to abort a pregnancy at any time up to 24 weeks, a decision hailed by women's rights activists. The right to abortion has proved contentious globally after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in June its landmark decision in Roe v. Wade that had legalised the procedure in the United States. "Even an unmarried woman can undergo abortion up to 24 weeks on par with married women," said Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of India's Supreme Court, holding that lack of marital status could not deprive a woman of the right. The court added that sexual assault by husbands can be classified as marital rape under the MTP law.

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