The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to urgently hear petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court’s decision, which dismissed petitions seeking permission to wear the hijab inside the educational institution and stated that the hijab is a necessary religious practice in Islam but is not part of it. A bench of Supreme Court Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justice Krishna Murari rejected the request of senior advocate Devdutt Kamat, who desired immediate listing of the matter, saying that the examinations were on. “The examination has nothing to do with this issue,” the bench said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that they are repeatedly mentioning the matter.
The supreme court asked not to catastrophize the issue. Wherein, the arguments of senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, student prosecutor, cited that there is a need for urgent hearing keeping in view the upcoming examinations. ‘These are girls, exams are from 28th, they are being stopped from entering schools, it has been a year.’ To this the court said Hegde Ji, can you wait? Saying this, the apex court did not accept this request. The bench rejected the request of senior advocate Devdutt Kamat. Where Kamat had said that the examinations are going on, so the matter should be listed for an immediate hearing. “The examinations have nothing to do with the matter,” the bench said.
In fact, on March 16, the top court had agreed to list the petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court’s decision for hearing after the Holi holiday, dismissing the petitions of wearing hijab inside the classroom were given; Having said that it is not part of the religious practice required in the Islamic faith. The High Court had held that the fixation of school uniforms is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, to which students cannot object.
Senior advocate Devdutt Kamat said that the examinations of the petitioners are near but the court said that it has nothing to do with the matter. It has been said that wearing the hijab is not part of the religious practice required in the Islamic faith under Article 25 of the Constitution. The Karnataka High Court had dismissed petitions filed by a section of Muslim students of Government Pre-University Girls College, Udupi, seeking permission to wear hijab inside the classroom.
