"Will List After Holi," Says CJI DY Chandrachud On Mentioning Of Plea To Allow Girls To Wear Hijab For Examination

The Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today said that the Karnataka Hijab matter will be listed after Holi Vacation, when a request for urgent listing was made before the Court on behalf of the Shariat Committee.

It was submitted before the Court that the examination will commence in the next 5 days i.e. from March 9 and girls wearing headscarves (hijab) cannot be permitted to appear in examinations, as per the State Government's order.

“They missed one year already and they are about to miss one another year,” said counsel appearing for the Shariat Committee.

“We will list immediately after Holi,” said a Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud and comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala.

“We mentioned it twice. We mentioned in February, we mentioned in March, we came ten days before too,” pointed out the Counsel when the CJI said that they approached the court at the last movement. 

“We will list it,” said the Court.

As per its calendar, the Supreme Court will reopen on March 13 after Holi Vacation.

A group of girl students from Karnataka has moved an application before the Supreme Court for permission to wear headscarves (hijab) during examinations commencing from March 9.

On February 29, a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that "I will take a call on it”, when an early date of hearing was sought by mentioning the matter. (Read Report)

“Milord, this is regarding headscarf (hijab) matter. Exams are beginning on 9th March. They’ll lose one more year. The only prayer is only to let them take part in examination”, said Advocate Shadan Farast who had then mentioned the matter before the Court for urgent listing.

Many girl students have enrolled in private institutions after the Karnataka Government banned the wearing of hijab in state-aided educational institutions. However, the examinations are to be conducted in government institutions.

The application has been preferred with a limited prayer to allow girl students to wear headscarves in government institutions for the purpose of appearing in examinations.

In October 2022, The two-judge Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia delivered a split verdict on the hijab row. (Read Report)

In view of the divergent opinions, the Bench had directed that the matters be placed before the Bench of CJI to consider setting up a three-judge bench to adjudicate the case following the split verdict. (Read Report)