The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday orally clarified that its interim order restraining students, regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls (bhagwa), scarf, hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom, applies to pre-university and degree colleges having dress code/uniform, during the pendency of the petitions on the hijab issue.
A three-judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, and Justice Jaibunnisa M. Khazi, told an advocate that its interim order of February 10 would apply to undergraduate and pre-university colleges which have prescribed dress code/uniform.
Earlier, advocate Mohammed Tahir, who represents four petitioner girl students from the Government Pre-University College for Girls, Udupi, said he had filed two new petitions, one by a girl from a private degree college and another by a girl from private pre-university college, seeking clarification on the February 10 interim order.
He pointed out that though the court’s interim order was applicable to institutions having college development committees, many degree and private colleges were not allowing Muslim girl students to wear hijab now, citing the court’s interim order, though they were allowed earlier.
However, the advocate-general said that the degree college had already clarified its position before a single-judge in a case filed by another student that it has passed a resolution prescribing uniform.
If uniform is prescribed, then they (students) have to follow it, the court said.
