Centre asks SC to ban female genital mutilation

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday asked the Supreme Court to ban the “Khatna” or the Female Genital Mutilation (FMG), practice prevalent among the Dawoodi Bohra religious community of Shia sect, as it is a crime and punishable offence. This practice is an age-old tradition in this community to mark the arrival of womanhood.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, made this submission before a three Judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud during the course of hearing of a petition filed by advocate Sunita Tihar seeking a ban on FMG as it is illegal.

The AG while supporting the plea of the petitioner asked the top Court to “step in and issue directions” on the practice of FMG.

The Centre, he said, has filed a counter affidavit stating that the FMG is a crime with a punishment of seven years of imprisonment as the existing laws don’t permit FMG and that the court can further clarify on the matter and issue guidelines.