The girls made the plea to the full bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit.
Girl student in Karnataka, who have filed a petition in Karnataka High Court, have now requested to allow them to wear hijab of the same colour as their school uniform. The girls have challenged the government’s order prohibiting wearing of any clothes affecting peace, harmony and law and order.
The girls made the plea to the full bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit.
“I am not only challenging the GO but also asking for a positive mandate for allowing me to wear a headscarf of the same colour of the uniform,” advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing on behalf of the girls of the government pre-university college in Udupi, told the bench.
Kamat claimed that Muslim girl students are allowed to wear school uniform hijab in Kendriya Vidyalayas and the same can be done here. He said that wearing the hijab is a compulsory religious practice and prohibiting its use is a violation of the rights guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
On Monday, the counsel for petitioners told the court the Muslim girls were wearing hijabs to their classes until a Karnataka government order of February 5 legitimised a ban. He also said that the government has authorised the Education Development Committee (CDC) with the presence of an MLA to determine the uniform.
Pre-university and degree colleges to open from February 16
The Karnataka government on Monday decided that pre-university classes and degree colleges, which were closed due to the hijab controversy, will be reopened from February 16. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The meeting was attended by State Home Minister Araga Gyanendra, Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh, Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan and senior government officials.
“The current situation in the state was reviewed in the meeting. In the meeting, it was decided to open pre-university classes and degree colleges from Wednesday. Where there are no uniforms, there will be a dress code. We will strictly comply with the order of the High Court,” BC Nagesh said.