NEW DELHI: Days before final hearings on petitions challenging the validity of ‘triple talaq’, the Supreme Court sought on Monday the Centre’s and four states’ response on a PIL seeking a ban on the ritual of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Dawoodi Bohra community.
A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul issued notice to four central ministries — law and justice; health and family welfare; social justice and empowerment; and women and child development — and the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi.
While entertaining a PIL filed by advocate and social activist Sunita Tiwari, the bench said, "The petition has highlighted an extremely important yet sensitive issue." The petitioner said the practice of ‘khatna’ or ‘female circumcision’ or ‘khafd’ carried out on minor girls amounted to a "serious violation of the rights of children as even minors have a right of security of person, right to privacy, bodily integrity and the freedom from cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment".
The petition said though the Dawoodi Bohras were among the most educated in India, yet "it is the only Muslim community in India to practise FGM… The practice has nothing to do with religion and is more of a cultural practice".
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