Hijab Row: Karnataka High Court’s Single Bench Refers Matter to Larger Bench

GG News Bureau

Bengaluru, 9th Feb. Karnataka High Court’s Single bench of Justice Krishna Dixit referred petitions challenging the ban on hijab in colleges to a larger bench on Wednesday.

The Court also said that a plea relating to seeking interim relief will also be considered by a larger bench. Earlier on Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state.

The High Court’s appeal came after the Advocate General informed the court that there are some parallel agitations.

Advocate General urged the High Court to issue an interim order that there should be no public protests or demonstrations.

Appearing for petitioners, Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, also apprised the Court about a video where a girl in hijab was being chased by boys. He also said that he agreed with the Advocate General that law and order should be maintained and assured that as far as petitioners are concerned, they will not hold any protests on the streets.

The Advocate General said that since the court has already ceased the matter, the law should not be taken in hand by anyone.

The Court said that it requests the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity.

“This Court has full faith in the wisdom and virtue of the public at large and it hopes that the same would be put to practice,” the Court said.

The Hijab protests in the state started in January when some students at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka claimed that they had been barred from attending classes.

During the protests, some students alleged that they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab. Following this, students of different colleges arrived at Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron shawls. Same situation emerged in several colleges in the Udipi district. The pre-University education board had released a circular stating that students can wear only the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious practices will be allowed in colleges.

After these protests, a three-day holiday from Feb 9 has been announced in all the universities under the Department of Higher Education and colleges under the department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE).

On Tuesday, the Karnataka HC also appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state.