On January 23, the Supreme Court agreed to set up a three-judge bench to consider petitions challenging the ban on hijab in classrooms of pre-university colleges in Karnataka.
The Supreme Court in October last year gave a split verdict on petitions challenging the legality of a ban on the hijab worn by some Muslim girl students in classes in pre-university colleges in Karnataka. The split verdict was given by a division bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia.
Justice Gupta, who is now retired, upheld the Karnataka government’s circular and dismissed the appeals against the Karnataka High Court’s decision. Justice Dhulia, however, rejected the Karnataka government’s decision to ban the wearing of hijab inside the classrooms of pre-university colleges, saying that the Constitution is also a document of trust and the minority has reposed trust in the majority.