NEW DELHI: Raising concerns about the possible "misuse and sabotage" of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act as a result of the relaxation in its rules, CPM polit bureau member Brinda Karat has written to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan seeking the revocation of an order that suspends some rules of the PCPNDT law.Karat has objected, in particular, to the suspension of a rule that mandates that every genetic counselling centre, laboratory, clinic, Ultrasound clinic and imaging centre must send a complete report of all pre-conception or pregnancy related procedures to appropriate concerned authorities each month. She has said that since medical facilities, including such generic services, come under essential services and will remain functional, they are “duty bound” under the PCPNDT Act to keep a register of such tests as mandated by the law.“If government had assessed that for the month of March it would not be possible for clinics conducting tests to send the reports by April 5th, and had issued an administrative order condoning the delay, it would be understandable. However, suspending the rule means the clinic need not produce any records till June 30. This could be misused by unscrupulous sections to conduct sex determination tests freely.…and may lead to sabotage of the law under the guise of the situation created by Covid-19,” Karat said in her letter to Vardhan, asking him whether the decision taken in the name of the “unprecedented situation created by Covid-19” has his express sanction.The CPM leader has also questioned the government’s relaxation of procedures governing registration of clinics and meetings of Advisory Council under PCPNDT Act on grounds that all professional bodies are using technology and video conferences to hold their meetings. “There was no urgent reason to suspend Rules. No other Rules under any other Act have been so suspended. It is questionable whether the ministry has powers to arbitrarily suspend rules placed before Parliament. The situation regarding skewed sex ratios continues to be very serious. India cannot afford any dilution or weakening of the implementation of the law. Let not the Covid-19 crisis become a cover for this. I request you to withdraw the suspension of the Rules,” Karat said.