Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court Wednesday referred the petition in the ongoing Hijab row in the state to a larger bench citing "the enormity of questions of importance." Continuing hearing the petitions on day 2 against the government diktat on Hijab in educational institutes, Justice Krishna S Dixit said that with "regard to the enormity of questions of importance," he was referring the issue to a larger bench's consideration. Justice Dixit was hearing the petitions filed by students of the Government Pre-University College for Girls, Udupi, demanding permission to attend classes wearing hijab.
Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, the counsel for the petitioners, had asked for an interim decision to ensure "no child is deprived of education". However, the High Court declined the request and informed that the interim decision will also be taken by a larger bench.
With Section 144 being imposed in more districts and the government banning protests in Bengaluru, the Hijab row is fast turning into a major controversy. "Please permit me to go to the school wearing my clothes, don't leave it to the mercy of some principal or CDC. A teenage girl should not be forced to settle with her conscience for the sake of her education. Let them have the darshan of their teachers," said the petitioners in the court.
Arguing for the state, AG said that the "petitions are misconceived. He went on to insist that the dress code prescribed by the college should be followed and that even an interim order at this stage will amount to "allowing the petition". After hearing the arguments from both sides, Karnataka HC decided to refer the issue to the larger bench and said, "Even interim prayers merit consideration at the hands of a larger bench that may be constituted by CJ in his discretion and therefore the arguments advanced on interim prayers are reproduced here."
As protests against the hijab ban escalated with violence witnessed in some areas, the Karnataka government had announced that schools and colleges will be closed for three days till Sunday.
