Hijab Ban- 'Will List'- Chief Justice DY Chandrachud On Plea To Hear The Case Before Examination Starts

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday said that he will list the Karnataka hijab case after the Holi vacations. The lawyer appearing on behalf of Shariat committee sought an early listing as the exams are commencing from March 9.

The Supreme Court is closing for Holi vacations today and will reopen on March 13.

The lawyer submitted that the exams are happening from March 9 and requested for an earlier listing as the Government colleges said that Hijab-wearing students will not be allowed to attend the exams.

"I will list it immediately after the Holi vacations", CJI replied.

"But the exams are starting from 9", the lawyer pointed out.

"What can I do if you come on the last day?", CJI asked the lawyer. The lawyer then replied that the matter was mentioned on earlier occasions.

"They've missed one year. They'll miss another. This matter was mentioned twice earlier, mentioned in January, in February", the lawyer urged.

"I will form a bench. I will list the matter.", CJI reiterated.

"What about the exams?", the lawyer asked.

"I can't answer your questions", CJI said while adding that he will create a bench.

On February 22, Advocate Shadan Farasat had mentioned the matter for seeking interim directions to allow Hijab-wearing Muslim students to attend the PUC exams conducted in government colleges by wearing their religious headscarves. "I will take a call on this", CJI had assured then.

Previously, on January 23, the CJI had agreed to consider the request for urgent listing, after Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora mentioned the urgency of examinations, which are held in government colleges.

After the Karnataka government banned the wearing of hijab in Government Pre-University Colleges, several Muslim students had to move to private colleges. However, the exams are conducted in government colleges. In this backdrop, the petitioners seek permission to attend exams.

In March 2022, Karnataka High Court had upheld the ban imposed by the State Government on Muslim girls wearing religious headscarf in government colleges. In October 2022, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict in the appeals, with Justice Hemant Gupta upholding the hijab ban and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia ruling against it.