Hijab ban: Karnataka deploys additional police in sensitive areas after SC verdict

Bengaluru: Following a split verdict by the Supreme Court on Thursday on the petitions challenging the hijab ban in the southern state of Karnataka at the educational institutions, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that additional police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas.  A two-judge bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia pronounced the judgement today. While Justice Hemant Gupta dismissed the appeals against the March 15 verdict of the Karnataka High Court that had refused to lift the ban and held that hijab is not part of "essential religious practice" in the Islamic faith, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia allowed the pleas and observed that it is ultimately a "matter of choice".

The Karnataka Home Minister said that the apex court placed the appeals before the Chief Justice of India for the constitution of a larger bench and further decision will be taken by the CJI. "The case has been transferred to CJI bench. It depends on what CJI will decide on the matter. We are waiting for the judgement of the Supreme court. We have taken enough security measures and have deployed additional police personnel in sensitive areas," he said. He further said, "There are two different judgements. One judge has rejected the plea of petitioners and another judge has nullified the order of the Karnataka High court. The ball is now in CJI court and we are looking forward to the outcome. 

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"Earlier, the Karnataka government announced that High Court`s order upholding the ban on hijab in educational institutions in the state will continue pending a final decision in the Supreme Court, which today pronounced a split verdict on appeals challenging the restriction on girls and women wearing the headscarves in schools and colleges. 

State education minister BC Nagesh said that the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state will remain for now. Shortly after the Supreme Court delivered its split verdict, the minister said "we expect a better judgement" stating that women worldwide are demanding to not wear hijab and burqa.