SC to hear plea on female genital mutilation among Bohras
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The Supreme Court on Monday referred to a Constitution Bench a plea questioning the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) prevalent in the Dawoodi Bohra community.
The issue was referred to the Constitution Bench on the request of Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the community.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said that they would frame the question for the consideration of the Constitution Bench.
The top court earlier in the course of the hearing of the PIL had said that the religious practices could not be cited to justify female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community, observing "a lot of girls don't want and it can't be imposed".
The earlier hearing by a three-judge bench saw the Centre describing the practice of FGM amongst Dawoodi Bohras as violative of bodily integrity which is a part of right to privacy and dignity.
However, the community had defended the practice on the grounds of the freedom of religion and religious practices.
A lawyer, Sunita Tiwari, had moved a PIL challenging the practice and seeking direction to declare it illegal and unconstitutional, non-compoundable and a non-bailable offence.
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Himanta resigns as Assam CM, paving way for formation of new govt
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday resigned along with his cabinet colleagues, paving the way for formation of a new government led by the BJP, officials said.
The BJP-led NDA bagged 102 seats in the 126-member assembly. The assembly elections were held in a single phase on April 9, and counting of votes took place on May 4.
"Following the formal notification of the results of #AssamElections2026 and to enable the formation of the new government, Dr @himantabiswa tendered his resignation as Chief Minister along with that of the council of Ministers to Hon'ble Governor Shri @Laxmanacharya54 today at Lok Bhawan," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X.
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The Governor has accepted the resignation, and requested Sarma to continue as the caretaker CM till the new government assumes office, it said.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Lok Bhawan, Sarma said the oath-taking ceremony is likely to take place after May 11.
“As it was a historic win, we have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grace the occasion," he said.
The new Assam chief minister will be selected at a meeting of the BJP legislature party in presence of central observers, Sarma said.
