The Supreme Court will establish a three-judge panel to address the petition filed by Muslim female students in Karnataka government schools who are seeking permission to wear a hijab during their exams. A bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala responded to a female lawyer's request for an expedited hearing of the case, stating that they would form a bench. This is because the government schools' exam regulations do not allow female students to wear headscarves, and as a result, the Muslim girls risk losing another academic year, stated a PTI report.
Originally, the CJI said the issue will be listed for a hearing after the Holi vacation, but since the examinations are scheduled to be held after five days the lawyer requested to prepone the hearing. She said, "They have missed one year. They will miss another year.” On being told by the bench that the matter has been mentioned on the last day before the vacation, the lawyer said it has been mentioned twice earlier.
The bench did not specify a deadline but confirmed that it would form a panel in response to Shadan Farasat's request for an expedited hearing on behalf of the Muslim girl students. The court will determine whether to list a petition allowing the students to wear headscarves during exams in Karnataka government schools. The Supreme Court has been divided on the issue of prohibiting headscarves in educational institutions in Karnataka, resulting in the upcoming exams on March 9 not permitting girls wearing the hijab to sit for the tests, as reported by PTI.
On March 15, 2022, the High Court rejected the petitions submitted by several Muslim students from the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi, Karnataka. The court's ruling was based on the premise that the hijab is not an essential aspect of Islamic religious practice.
