Karnataka hijab row: HC reserves judgment on pleas against hijab ban

The Karnataka High Court on Friday reserved its order on various petitions challenging the ban on hijab in education institutions after hearing the matter for 11 days which started on February 10. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, said that all those intervenors who have filed interlocutory applications can file written submissions if they wish to.

Based on a declaration by the Karnataka government that it is not interfering with uniform norms in private minority educational institutions, the court had on Tuesday “disposed of” a petition filed by the Karnataka State Minorities Educational Institutions Managements Federation.

The High Court on Wednesday said in an oral clarification of its February 10 order that restrictions on wearing religious symbols like the hijabs and saffron shawls would apply only to state colleges where uniforms have been prescribed by the colleges.

Senior Advocate Yusuf Muchchala, appearing for one of the petitioners made rejoinder submission, arguing, “We have only asked that we should be permitted to cover the head with a piece of cloth. It is not right for the college to prevent us from doing that.”

On January one, six girl students at a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by the CFI in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into classrooms wearing hijab.

This was four days after they requested the principal permission to wear hijab in classes which was not allowed. Till then, students used to wear the headscarf to the campus, but entered the classroom after removing it, college principal Rudre Gowda had said.

Also Read | Kannada actor Chetan arrested for remarks on Judge hearing hijab row, remanded to 14-day judicial custody

Also read: Shivamogga unrest: 6 arrested in murder case, curfew imposed till Friday

Also read: 'Absolutely false': Karnataka DGP fact-checks Twitter user on Shivamogga murder