Bombay High Court to hear students' petition over college's ban on hijab, burka, naqab

NEW DELHI: Nine students have approached the Bombay High Court, challenging a directive issued by their college imposing a ban on hijab, burka, and naqab in the classroom. In their petition, the girls stated that the ban imposed by the Chembur Trombay Education Society's NG Acharya and DK Marathe College was "arbitrary, unreasonable, bad-in-law, and perverse." A bench headed by Justice AS Chandurkar will hear the petition next week.

According to the plea, on May 1, a notice along with a message was circulated on the college's WhatsApp group, which includes faculty members and students, imposing a dress code restriction on burka, naqab, hijab, badges, caps, and stoles. The petitioners, who are second and third year degree students, argued that such a directive was "nothing but a colorable exercise of power."

The naqab, burka, and hijab are integral parts of the petitioners' religious beliefs, and imposing a ban on them was violative of their fundamental rights, the plea contended. Initially, the petitioners requested the college management and principal withdraw the restriction on naqab, burka, and hijab and allow it "as a matter of the right of choice, dignity, and privacy in the classroom."

They also raised their grievance against the notice with the chancellor and vice chancellor of the university, as well as the University Grants Commission, requesting their intervention "to uphold the spirit of imparting education to all citizens without discrimination." However, when they did not receive any response, the students filed a petition with the HC. The plea argued that the notice was issued without any authority of law and was hence bad-in-law, null, and void. The plea sought to have the High Court quash the notice.