The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to examine a request to block a US-based website which promises supply of a “simple medical kit” for determining the gender of the foetus by testing the blood of the pregnant mother.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justice R V Raveendran and Justice J M Panchal said that it will look into the issue on February 15, after a Punjab-based NGO, Voluntary Health Association, apprised the court of the website hosted by a Massachusetts-based firm, making the promise, which rubs the Indian laws in the wrong way.

The NGO has also demanded a direction to the Union Government for strict implementation of the provisions of laws banning sex determination test of foetus.

The determination of foetus’ gender is banned in India under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal

Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, which was also amended and made stricter in 2003 following the apex court’s directions.