The Supreme Court will hear today the case of ban on hijab, burqa and niqab in college campus

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Friday the petitions challenging the Bombay High Court’s decision that upheld the ban on wearing hijab, burqa and niqab on a college campus in Mumbai. The case is related to Chembur Trombay Education Society’s NG Acharya and DK Marathe College, where the college administration had banned the wearing of hijab, burqa and niqab on the campus. This decision was also upheld by the Bombay High Court.

High Court decision

In its judgment delivered on June 26, the Bombay High Court had said that such rules framed by the college do not violate the fundamental rights of the students. The court said that these rules are part of the internal discipline system of the college, and its aim is to ensure a level playing field for all students.

Appeal by the petitioners

This decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The petitioners, including Zainab Abdul Qayyum, have called this ban a violation of their religious rights. Advocate Abiha Zaidi, on behalf of the petitioners, argued that the term examinations have started and the students of the minority community are facing difficulties due to these instructions on the dress code. He demanded an immediate hearing on this matter from the Supreme Court, after which Chief Justice DY Chandrachud listed it for Friday.

Hearing on the instructions of NCPCR also

Apart from this case, the Supreme Court has also sought a reply from the states regarding the instructions of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) regarding the appointment of ‘support workers’ for child sexual abuse victims. A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh has ordered the states to file a report on compliance with the guidelines of NCPCR. The next hearing of this case will be on October 22.