Karnataka hijab row: HC refers petitions challenging ban to larger bench

The Karnataka hijab row protests have escalated across the state. The High Court was hearing a petition filed by two girl students from Udupi’s government college against the state regime’s order prohibiting them to attend classes wearing a hijab

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday transferred the petition challenging the ban on hijab in college to a larger bench, news agency ANI reported.

Justice Krishna S Dixit who was hearing since Tuesday a batch of petitions against the Hijab ban in classrooms maintained that these matters give rise to certain constitutional questions of seminal importance in view of certain aspects of personal law.

"In view of the enormity of questions of importance which were debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the Chief Justice should decide if a larger bench can be constituted in the subject matter," Justice Dixit said.

Karnataka: Hijab row escalates, 3 more colleges deny students entry

"The bench was also of the view that the interim prayers should also be placed before the larger bench that may be constituted by Chief Justice Awasthi exercising his discretion," Justice Dixit noted in the order.

The petitions were filed by some Muslim girls studying in Government Pre-University colleges in Udupi district against a ban on their entry into classrooms with their hijabs on.

Protests have erupted across the state with agitations for and against wearing the headscarves by Muslim women in schools and colleges.