Aizawl, March 13 (IANS) The influential Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) Saturday announced strong disciplinary action against homosexual members.

'We have decided to take strong punitive action against members who are involved in homosexuality. The disciplinary actions include ex-communication,' a BCM statement said.

The statement was issued after the BCM assembly, the main decision-making body, met. The BCM is the dominant church in the Christian dominated Mizoram.

The BCM statement said that the homosexuality should be banned and termed birth control and abortion as 'immoral acts'.

'Medical termination of pregnancy should be permitted only when the life of a woman was in risk,' the statement added.

Churches in Mizoram play a very active role in the life and culture of the state with a population of 900,000.