Hijab row: SC agrees to hear pleas against Karnataka HC's verdict
India Today
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the petitions filed against the Karnataka High Court's verdict regarding the hijab ban next week.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the petitions filed against the Karnataka High Court's verdict regarding the hijab ban next week. The Karnataka High Court on March 15 ruled that wearing hijabs does not fall under the essential practice of Islam.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, agreed to list the matter before an appropriate bench next week after it was mentioned by Advocate Prashant Bhushan.
Prashant Bhushan said that the matters were filed way back in March but haven’t been listed yet.
In January this year, a huge controversy was triggered in Karnataka after an Udupi school banned hijab inside the classrooms, prompting girls to challenge the order in the Karnataka High Court. The court had reserved its judgement in the case on February 25. After that, protests, allegations and counter allegations erupted over the hijab ban.
On March 15, the Karnataka High Court ruled that wearing hijabs does not fall under the essential practice of Islam. Dismissing all the petitions challenging the ban on hijab inside Karnataka schools, the Karnataka High Court also ruled that the restrictions on wearing of uniforms were reasonable and that the students cannot oppose it.
Afterwards, Muslim students from Karnataka moved the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court's verdict. Six Muslim students from Udupi challenged the verdict in the apex court.
A special leave petition was filed on behalf of Muslim student Niba Naaz. The petitioners submitted that the high court failed to note that the Karnataka Education Act does not provide for any mandatory uniform to be worn by students and the right to wear a hijab falls under the ambit of right to privacy.
