BENGALURU: On Tuesday afternoon, the Karnataka High Court's full bench, consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin, began hearings on petitions asking the state government to allow hijab to be worn in schools.
This is the third day of the three-judge bench's hearing. Senior counsel Devdatt Kamat will prepare the petitioner's filing for girl students seeking an order allowing them to attend classes while wearing hijab. He argued on Monday that the government cannot restrict students' fundamental rights under the guise of maintaining peace and order. He also opposed to the College Development Committee's decision-making authority over uniforms.
On Monday, the bench refused to stop the media from covering the proceedings because one of the lawyers said it might affect elections in neighbouring states. Until the final decision, the court had issued an interim order prohibiting students from wearing religious symbols in schools and colleges. The order made it illegal to wear the hijab and saffron scarves at school and college.
The arguments of petitioners seeking directives from the government permitting students to wear hijab in the colour of their uniform to class were also dismissed by the larger bench.
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