Karnataka Hijab case: The timeline from January 1st to the split verdict today

New Delhi, Oct 13: The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a split verdict on pleas that challenged a judgment of the Karnataka High Court which had upheld the ban on hijab in educational institutions.

Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia had reserved the order following a marathon ten-day hearing. The students had filed an appeal against the HC order which had held that prohibition on hijab in classrooms was a reasonable restriction and that hijab was not an essential religious practice in Islam.

Here is the timeline of the case.

January 1: Govt PU college bars entry of students wearing hijab in Udupi.

January 6: Six students oppose the management's rule while many fall in line with the new guidelines. The students complain about the issue on social media and soon it becomes a national issue.

January 19: As the issue intensified, college management decided to allow students wearing hijab and burkha, but barred the girls from wearing it inside the classroom once the teachers came in.

January 25: The Karnataka government sets up an expert committee to resolve the issue, urging the students to follow the dress code prescribed by the college till the recommendations of the committee is out.

January 31: The issue reaches Karnataka High Court and a writ petition filed, seeking a declaration that wearing a hijab is a fundamental right and the petitioner argues that the Indian constitution guarantees the freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practise and propagate religion.

February 1: The issue had spread to other parts of Karnataka including Shivvamogga and Vijayapura.

February 5: The state government on Saturday ordered banning wearing clothes which disturb equality, integrity and public order in schools and colleges. "Invoking 133 (2) of the Karnataka Education Act-1983, which says a uniform style of clothes has to be worn compulsorily. The private school administration can choose a uniform of their choice," the government order said.

February 10: The Karnataka High Court ordered students to not wear any such cloth, whether Hijab or saffron scarves, which can instigate people, till the matter is resolved.

February 10: Karnataka government orders shutting schools for classes 11 and 12 and colleges from February 12 to February 16.

February 11: The Supreme Court said it will protect the constitutional rights of every citizen and take up at an appropriate time the pleas challenging a direction of the Karnataka High Court asking students not to wear any religious cloth in educational institutions. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was told by senior advocate Devdutt Kamat, appearing for the students, that the high court order has led to the "suspension of fundamental right to practice religion under Article 25 of the Constitution" and the plea be listed for hearing on Monday.

February 18: The Karnataka government contended before the Karnataka High Court that the hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam and preventing its use did not violate Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom.

February 25: The Karnataka High Court reserved its verdict on petitions filed by some Muslim girls challenging ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions on the ground that it's an essential practice of Islam.

March 15: After a hearing of about 23 hours spread over 11 days, the court delivered its verdict, upholding the restrictions on hijab. The court ruled that the hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam.

September 22: The Supreme Court reserved its order on various petitions challenging Karnataka High Court order upholding the ban on Hijab in educational institutes.

October 13: The SC pronounced a split verdict in the Karnataka Hijab ban case.