Female genital mutilation a crime, Centre tells Supreme Court

The Centre on Friday urged the Supreme Court to step in and issue directions to stop the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalent among the Dawoodi Bohra community, saying it is a crime under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Attorney General KK Venugopal told the bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the government supported the plea filed by advocate Sunita Tiwari who challenged the practice and sought direction to declare it illegal and unconstitutional.

“It is a crime under the IPC... We have filed a short affidavit in support of the petitioner. We urge the court to step in and issue directives as it did in cases of khap panchayats,” Venugopal submitted before the bench.

The IPC provisions, he said, calls for a seven-year jail term.

Rao said though the practice is restricted to one community, it is quite rampant. He suggested the top court to seek response from the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community as well.

The bench fixed July 9 for the final hearing on the petition. It also allowed two intervention applications filed by two women of the Dawoodi Bohra community who suffered the gruesome act at the age of seven.

The second intervenor, Masooma, who is also part of a group of FGM survivors called “We Speak Out”, said mere statement by the government is not enough. “IPC does not define FGM. It should be done the way the World Health Organisation (WHO) has done it. And for this the power lies with the government,” Masooma told HT.

NEW DELHI: ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THOUGH THE PRACTICE IS RESTRICTED TO ONE COMMUNITY, IT IS QUITE RAMPANT