Hijab Ban: LIVE UPDATES from Karnataka High Court

A full-bench of the Karnataka High Court will continue hearing a batch of petitions filed by female Muslim students against ban on wearing hijab by certain Karnataka colleges.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi started hearing the case last Thursday and proceeded to pass an interim order, directing students not to wear hijab, saffron shawls (bhagwa) or use any religious flags while attending classes in Karnataka colleges which have a prescribed uniform in the interim.

Yesterday, the petitioners submitted before the three judge bench that the secularism practiced in India was different from that of other countries like Turkey, which had banned the wearing of hijab in public.

The matter was earlier being heard by single-judge Justice Krishna S Dixit who on February 9, referred it to a larger Bench stating that the case involves important issues.

The petitioners had filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the interim order but the top court is yet to hear the same.

The case will be heard at 2.30 PM.

Read live updates from yesterday's hearing here.

Read more on the State’s affidavit before the High Court here.

Read more about the petitions before High Court here and here.

Live updates from today’s hearing below.