Hijab verdict: Karnataka HC verdict deeply disappointing, says Mehbooba Mufti

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday expressed disappointed over Karnataka High Court order upholding Hijab Ban in the state.

Taking to twitter, Mufti posted, "Karnataka HC's decision to uphold the Hijab ban is deeply disappointing. On one hand we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. Its isn't just about religion but the freedom to choose."

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed petitions filed by a section of Muslim students from the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi, seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classroom.

The prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to, a three-judge bench of the court further noted.

"We are of the considered opinion that wearing of Hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in Islamic faith," Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi who headed the full bench of the High Court said reading out portion of the order.

The other two judges in the panel were Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi. The bench also maintained that the government has power to issue impugned government order dated February 5, 2022 and no case is made out for its invalidation.