Karnataka hijab row: Sec 144 imposed around schools, colleges in Bengaluru till Feb 22

As the row over hijab escalates in Karnataka, authorities in Bengaluru have imposed Section 144 in the city for the next two weeks.

As the row over hijab spills over to several parts of Karnataka, the authorities in Bengaluru have imposed prohibitory orders to restrict gathering or agitation of any kind around schools and colleges in the city.

On Wednesday, Kamal Pant, Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, released an order stating that since the possibility of a protest being held in the city cannot be ruled out, it is essential to implement proper security measures to maintain public peace and order.

As per the order, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) will be imposed around the schools, PU colleges, degree colleges, or other similar educational institutions in the Bengaluru city. The prohibitory order will be in effect for two weeks, from February 9 to February 22.

The prohibitory measures ban gathering or protest of any type within the area of 200 metre radius from the educational institutions.

Meanwhile, Karnataka High Court's single bench of Justice Krishna Dixit has referred the petitions challenging the ban on hijab in colleges to a larger bench.

In the order, Justice Dixit noted,"Having regard to the enormity of questions of importance which are debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the papers be put in the hand of the Chief Justice to decide if a larger bench can be constituted on the subject matter."

"Even interim prayers merit consideration at the hands of a larger bench that may be constituted by the Chief Justice at his discretion, and therefore, the arguments advanced on interim prayers are reproduced here," the high court order stated.