HIJAB BAN: WILL TAKE UP PETITIONS AFTER HOLI, SAYS APEX COURT

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refrained from putting a date to hearing a clutch of petitions against the Karnataka high court’s ruling that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in Islam.

A bench, led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, did not indicate any date for the hearing after senior counsel Sanjay Hegde and Devadatt Kamat urged the court to urgently list the matter.

“Give us some time…we will see after the Holi vacation,” retorted the CJI to Hegde.

The top court will be closed for Holi for three days starting Thursday, and will reopen on March 21.

At this point, Hegde asked if the court would consider listing it on March 21, adding the examinations are going to begin shortly and the affected students have to sit for them.

But CJI Ramana replied: “Mr Hegde, give us time. We will see. We will post the matter”.

On Tuesday, a full bench of the Karnataka high court declared that wearing of hijab is not mandatory in Islam while affirming the ban on the head dress imposed by the state government in schools and colleges through a February 5 executive order which led to massive protests and counter-protests across the state and in several other cities across the country.

The three-judge high court bench held that Quran does not mandate wearing of hijab for Muslim women and that the attire “at the most is a means to gain access to public places”.

THE TOP COURT WILL BE CLOSED FOR HOLI FOR THREE DAYS STARTING THURSDAY, AND WILL REOPEN ON MARCH 21.