Hijab judgment: LIVE UPDATES from Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is set to deliver its judgment in a batch of appeals challenging the Karnataka government order (GO) effectively empowering government colleges in the State to ban the wearing of hijab by Muslim girls [Fathima Bushra vs State of Karnataka].

A Bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia will pronounce it verdict at 10.30 am.

The challenge before the Supreme Court is against a Karnataka High Court decision from March 15 upholding the Karnataka government order.

The Karnataka High Court had on March 15 upheld a Karnataka government order (GO) effectively empowering college development committees of government colleges in the State to ban the wearing of the Islamic headscarf in college campuses.

While some of the appellants argued that that the only issue that needed to be considered was whether the restriction was deemed to be a valid Constitutional restriction, others insisted that wearing the hijab was essential to Islam.

The appellants also said that the government order discriminated against them on the grounds of both religion and sex.

The government maintained their position that the order was "religion-neutral" and did not target any specific community.

The court was also told that the girl students never wore the hijab to educational institutions until 2021, and started the practice on advice when a movement designed to create an agitation was started on social media by the Popular Front of India.

Live updates from the pronouncement of judgment below.