A plea was submitted before the Supreme Court seeking permission for girls to appear for exams Karnataka government schools while wearing the hijab. The apex court said it “would take a call” on listing the case.
The case was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud by advocate Shadan Farasat who said that the girls are unable to appear for exams due to the ban on hijab in government colleges.
Girls wearing hijab are not being permitted to take exams in the state following the top court’s split verdict on the issue of the ban on wearing the headscarf. Pre-university exams in Karnataka are expected to begin on March 9.
“They are wearing headscarf. If they are wearing headscarf they are not allowed inside the examination hall. Only on that limited aspect, the court may consider listing it on Monday or Friday,” said lawyer Shadan Farasat.
Further, he told the court that some girls have moved to private institutions because of the prohibition on wearing hijabs but have to take their exams in government institutions. They risk losing another year if not permitted, he said.
Split verdict in Hijab ban case
In October last year, a division bench of the Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict in the challenge to the government order (GO) which effectively empowered government colleges in Karnataka to ban the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students in college campus.
The ban had initially been challenged before the Karnataka High Court, which upheld the state’s ban. Following this, the matter reached the Supreme Court where Justice Hemant Gupta (now retired) upheld the ban and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia struck it down.
Directions have to be issued to government colleges to allow girls to appear for the February exams while wearing the hijab.
