AMN
The Supreme Court has delivered a split verdict in the Karnataka Hijab ban case. In view of this, the order of the Karnataka High court allowing the ban on wearing a headscarf in educational institutions in the State will remain applicable in the interim time.
A bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia pronounced the verdict on a batch of appeals filed against the judgment of the Karnataka High Court which held that hijab was not an essential practice of Islam.
Delivering the verdict today, Justice Hemant Gupta dismissed the petitions and upheld the hijab ban verdict of the Karnataka High Court. On the other hand, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia allowed the appeals and set aside the Karnataka High Court order. Justice Dhulia termed wearing hijab a matter of choice.
The two-judge bench said that in light of the divergence of opinion, the matter has to be placed before the Chief Justice of India for appropriate directions.