Debangana Ray
Published on July 13, 2022 at 19:09 IST
The Supreme Court will hear the appeals filed against the Hijab verdict of Karnataka High Court, which had upheld the right of educational institutions to ban wearing of hijab in college campus.
The matter was before CJI NV Ramana by Advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of the appellants who have challenged the High Court verdict.
The Supreme Court had in March declined request for urgent listing of appeals against the High Court verdict.
The Karnataka High Court had on March 15, upheld a Karnataka government order effectively empowering college development committees of government colleges in the State to ban the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students in college campus.
A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi had held that Hijab is not a part of essential religious practices of Islam.
Requirement of uniform is a reasonable restriction on the fundamental right to freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Hence, the government has the power to pass the Government order and no case is made out for its invalidation.
At least three appeals including one by All India Muslim Personal Law Board are pending before the top court against the Karnataka High Court verdict.