Hijab row: No SC hearing for now, Karnataka CM Bommai appeals for peace

When senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter for an urgent listing in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said let the high court decide the first.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refrained from giving a specific date for hearing a PIL, seeking a transfer of cases regarding a ban on entry of Muslim women in hijab in educational institutes from the Karnataka high court to itself.

The hijab controversy erupted last month when eight Muslim girls at the government pre-university college in Udupi alleged they were denied entry to classrooms after they started wearing headscarves. (HT File)

When senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter for an urgent listing, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said let the high court decide the first.

"Why should we jump in? Let the high court decide first," the CJI said.

A full bench of the Karnataka high court, comprising chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi, will hear a bunch of petitions filed by some Muslim girls studying in government pre-university colleges in Udupi district against the ban at 2.30pm.

Meanwhile Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to outsiders to not disturb the peace of school campuses and elsewhere across the state amid an uneasy calm following days of protests over the controversy.

Bommai is said it was the duty of all to create a peaceful atmosphere so that justice can be delivered.

“I appeal to outsiders to not disturb peace and tranquility in school campuses and in the state. It is our duty to create a peaceful atmosphere so that justice can be delivered,” Bommai was quoted as saying in state capital Bengaluru.

He later said a decision regarding extending the closure of all high schools and colleges with taken in the evening.

On Tuesday, the chief minister had ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days as protests in favour and against the ban on entry of Muslim girls in the headscarves snowballed into a major row and turned violent in some places.

“I'll hold a meeting with primary and secondary education minister BC Nagesh and officials along with the home minister to discuss briefly whatever happened. Will take a decision today evening on extending closure of all high schools and colleges,” news agency ANI quoted Bommai as sayin:

(With inputs from bureau)