Karnataka HC says, Hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam, dismisses various petitions

The Karnataka High Court today dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on Hijab in educational institutions and said that wearing a Hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam. A bench of Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S.Dixit, and Justice J.M.Kazhi said that no case is made out for invalidating the Government Order issued on 5th February 2022. The Hijab row had erupted in Udupi district during January this year, spread to other parts of the State as well leading to protests and agitations in several places in Karnataka. As a result, the Karnataka government said that all students must adhere to the uniform and ban both hijab and saffron scarves till an expert committee decides on the issue. On 5th February, the Pre-University Education Board released a circular stating that students can only wear the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious attire will be allowed in the educational institutions. Meanwhile, on 10th February, the high court issued an interim order stating that students should not wear any religious attire to classes till the court issued the final order.