Hijab ban: Supreme Court to list petitions challenging Karnataka HC order in two days

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that in two days it will list the petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court order to uphold the state government’s ban on wearing hijabs in educational institutions, Live Law reported

A batch of petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court order, which held last month that the headscarf was not essential to Islam.

On Tuesday, Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora, representing one of the petitioners, sought urgent listing of the matter.

“I will list...Wait for two days,” Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said in response.

Shadan Farasat, another lawyer appearing for the petitioners, argued that an urgent hearing of the matter was needed as students were being barred from appearing in the Pre-University Certificate examinations unless they took off their hijabs.

The application also contended that many Muslim girls were dropping out of schools and colleges in view of the High Court order. On March 16, the Supreme Court had said that it would take up the matter after Holi vacations.

The hijab ban case

In December and January, a group of Muslim girl students of the Government Women’s Pre-University College in Udupi city were not allowed to attend classes for being dressed in hijab. The students staged a protest, and similar demonstrations were held in other parts of the state too.

On February 5, the Karnataka government passed an order banning clothes that “disturb equality, integrity and public order”. The students moved the High Court against the ban.

Hindu students and mobs of men protested against Muslim women wearing hijabs to educational institutes. At some colleges, Muslim students were heckled, while in another case, some men climbed up a flagpole to plant a saffron flag and broke into classrooms.

On March 15, the High Court upheld the ban.