After 11 days of marathon hearing, Karnataka High Court reserves verdict on hijab row

New Delhi, February 25

After 11 days of marathon hearing, the Karnataka High Court on Friday reserved its verdict on petitions filed by some Muslim girls challenging ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state on the ground that it’s an essential practice of Islam.

“Heard. Order reserved,” said a full Bench led by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, which heard several senior counsel for the petitioners and Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi, besides some advocates representing teachers and College Development Committees having local MLAs as their members. The Bench asked the parties to file their written submissions, if any.

Set up on February 9, the Chief Justice Awasthi-led Bench also included Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M Khazi. It heard on a day-to-day basis for 11 days petitions filed by girl students challenging the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions where a particular uniform has been prescribed.

The petitioners were allegedly denied entry into a pre-university college for girls in Udupi in December last for violating the dress code.

The state government has insisted that the state high court must decide if hijab is an essential practice of Islam, saying it’s important to decide the issue as the petitioners have asserted it as a part of their right to religion.