As the Supreme Court takes up the issue of abortion on Thursday, the Centre is preparing for the biggest fight yet.
The court has directed the government to provide funding for all abortions.
The government has said it will provide only the minimum amount.
The Supreme Court has also asked the Centre to provide the required information to the states, which is being done.
If the Centre fails to provide this information, the apex court has said, it may order an appeal to the Supreme Courts of the three major states.
If the Centre doesn’t provide the information, states may then go for arbitration, a process that can lead to a higher court decision.
If states cannot agree on the arbitration, the court will decide whether the state is liable to pay.
States have been pressing the Centre for the information for several months.
The Centre is expected to be ready for the hearing, if the government gives it the time.
But the Centre has not yet given a deadline for the government, which has been asked to provide it the necessary information.
“The information has been requested for more than a year.
The information is not ready yet.
If it is not provided in a timely manner, it will not be given,” said an official, requesting anonymity.
If an abortion is not performed, the state can seek a waiver from the Supreme court, which will then decide whether to go ahead with the abortion or not.
The Supreme Court is expected, if not already, to take up the matter with the Centre.