An Indian court sustained a ban on hijab issued from a school in the state of Karnataka. The case was brought to court following an incident where school officials posted a notice banning the wearing of hijab in classrooms as part of the uniform code. Students wearing headscarves were also forbidden from attending lectures and were placed in separate classrooms.
The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court said in a judgement:
We are of the considered opinion that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice.
Lawyer Anas Tanwir, who said he will represent the girls now planning to move the Supreme Court told Al Jazeera:
I believe it is a wrong interpretation of the law.
As far as essential religious practice is concerned, [that] should not have been the question. The question should have been whether the [authorities] had the power to pass such orders.”
