About nine students move Bombay HC over college’s ban on hijab, naqab, burka in classroom

Mumbai: Nine students have moved 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 said 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.

As per 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, cap and stole.

The petitioners, who are second and third year degree students, said such a directive was “nothing but colourable exercise of power”.

The naqab, burka and hijab are an integral part of the petitioners’ religious belief and imposing a ban on it was violative of their fundamental rights, the plea contended.

The petitioners initially requested the college management and principal to withdraw the restriction on naqab, burka and hijab and allow it “as a matter of right of choice, dignity and privacy in the classroom”.