New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Monday referred a PIL challenging constitutional legitimacy of Dawoodi Bohra community’s practice of female genital mutilation to a five-judge constitution bench.

Venugopal said, “On second thoughts, the matter requires to be adjudicated by a five-judge bench” to support a similar request by ex-AG Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for a section of Dawoodi Bohra women, who supported FGM and said it was a religious practice protected under Article 25 of the Constitution.

On July 9, when Union government supported a complete ban on religious practices in certain communities practising female genital mutilation or circumcision, SC came out strongly against FGM by asking, “Why should bodily integrity of a woman be subject to a religious practice.”