Karnataka HC dismisses petitions challenging ban on hijab

Udupi: In a major setback to students who pleaded for their right to wear hijab in colleges, Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed all petitions challenging the ban on hijab in educational institutions, while observing that wearing hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islamic faith.

Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi pronounced the verdict over the issue on behalf of the three-judge bench and said that the restriction on wearing of uniform is a reasonable restriction that students cannot object to.

Further, the High Court has also declared that educational institutions have a right to prescribe uniforms and as such has dismissed all writ petitions by hijab-clad girl/women students.

HC also held that the Karnataka Government order dated February 5 is not unconstitutional.

The prayers in a petition wherein four students sought action/ removal of Principal, lecturers as well as chairman( local MLA) and vice-chairman of College Development Committee of Government College Udupi, has also been rejected.

Ahead of the verdict, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were imposed in parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru.

The hijab controversy began when an Udupi school banned them inside the classrooms, prompting the girls to challenge the order in the Karnataka High Court. The court had reserved its judgement in the case on February 25. Since then, there have been protests, allegations and counter allegations.