SC to resume hearing against Karnataka HC for upholding Hijab ban

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday continued to hear the petitions against the Karnataka High Court's order upholding the ban on Hijab in educational institutions.
After a short break, the Supreme Court hearing will resume again at 2 pm.
The proceedings have been ongoing in the top court ever since the Karnataka HC gave its decision following a massive protest against its Hijab order.
Students of Mangalore University College on May 26 staged a protest on the campus against wearing Hijab in classrooms. The students condemned the college for failing to implement the Karnataka High Court's order on Hijab within educational institutions.
Hijab protests in Karnataka took place in January-February this year when some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab.
Stating that wearing the hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam and freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution is subject to reasonable restrictions, a full bench of the Karnataka High Court on March 16 dismissed a batch of petitions filed by Muslim girls studying in pre-university colleges in Udupi seeking the right to wear hijabs in classrooms.
The court also upheld an order issued on February 5 by the state, which suggested that wearing hijabs can be restricted in government colleges where uniforms are prescribed -- and ruled that "prescription of a school uniform" is a "reasonable restriction" that is "Constitutionally permissible". (ANI)