Karnataka High Court dismisses petitions challenging ban on hijab, says not essential religious practice

The Karnataka High Court dismissed various petitions filed by Muslim girl students challenging the ban on wearing Hijab in state's educational institutions. The Karnataka High Court also ruled that the restrictions on wearing of uniforms was reasonable and that the students cannot oppose it.

The ruling was passed by the three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice JM Khazi.

The hijab protests in Karnataka began in January 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. Following this incident, students of different colleges arrived at Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron stoles.

The girls later approached the Karnataka High Court and demanded that they should be allowed to enter classrooms while wearing hijabs.