Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court will take on the Hijab petitions to board on Feb 8. Five Muslim girls studying in a Government Pre-university College for Girls at Udupi have filed the petition seeking a declaration from the court that they have a ‘fundamental right to practice essential religious practices, including wearing of Hijab (head scarf) as per Islamic faith, on college premises.’

Justice Krishna S. Dixit, before whom the petitions filed by Ayesha Hajeera Almas and others came up for hearing, were adjourned till February 8 as the Advocate-General sought time to respond to the issues raised in the petitions.

In one of the petitions stated that they were being discriminated by the teaching staff from last September citing uniform dress code and later they were not allowed to attend classes as they were wearing Hijabs.

A petition of Rasham (17), has contended that religious practice of wearing of Hijab is neither entangled in public law nor is there any conflict between her right to religious freedom and the State’s duty to regulate public affairs in matters of general nature or secular activities.

“The right of women to have the choice of dress based on religious injunctions is a fundamental right protected under Article 25(1) when such prescription of dress is an essential part of religion… Quranic injunctions and the Hadiths would show that it is a ‘farz’ to cover the head and wear the long sleeved dress except face part and exposing the body otherwise is forbidden (haram),” it has been contended in the petition.