Hijab Row: Supreme Court says will take up plea against Karnataka HC order at 'appropriate time'

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said it will protect the constitutional rights of every citizen and take up at an “appropriate time” the pleas challenging a direction of the Karnataka High Court asking students not to wear any religious cloth in educational institutions.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was told by senior advocate Devdutt Kamat, appearing for the students, that the high court order has led to the "suspension of fundamental right to practice religion under Article 25 of the Constitution" and the plea be listed for hearing on Monday.

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The top court referred to the ongoing hearing in the case, and said, “We will protect the fundamental right of every citizen and will take it up at an appropriate time.” “We will see,” the CJI said when Kamat insisted on listing of the plea for urgent hearing.

The plea filed by a student has sought a stay on the direction of the high court, which is hearing the hijab issue, as well as the proceedings going on before the three judge bench. The appeal contended that the high court has sought to curtail the fundamental right of Muslim student women by not allowing them to wear the hijab.

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A three-judge bench of the Karnataka High court, hearing the 'hijab' issue on Thursday, asked students not to insist on wearing any cloth on campuses of educational institutions which can instigate people, till the matter is resolved.