The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on various petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court’s upholding of a ban on Hijab in educational institutes. A bench of justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia reserved its judgement after the parties appearing from both sides concluded their arguments. The arguments in the matter that continued for 10 days involved 21 lawyers from the petitioner’s side, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, and Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi argued for the respondents.
The court was hearing several pleas against the Karnataka HC’s judgment upholding the state government’s decision to direct educational institutes to prescribe uniforms in educational institutes.
Addressing the court, Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, in his rejoinder submission, said that the Karnataka Government Circular which enforced a dress code has no reference to the Popular Front of India. Senior Advocate Dave was representing the petitioner.
Countering the submission of the respondent, the petitioner’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, said that the respondent’s arguments mentioned the examples of France and Turkey. Khurshid further said that anything that expresses religious belief is not allowed to be displayed in public, including a cross.
Various petitioners have approached the apex court challenging the Karnataka HC order upholding the Karnataka government’s order which directs strict enforcement of schools and colleges’ uniform rules.