Hijab row: 3-judge bench headed by Karnataka Chief Justice to hear case tomorrow
Bengaluru, Feb 9: The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi on Wednesday constituted a full bench comprising himself, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi which will look into the Hijab issue on Thursday.
After Justice Dixit referred the case for Chief Justice Awasthi's consideration with a view that he may decide on constituting a larger bench to look into it, the panel was formed, which will hear the case on Thursday.
The state cabinet, which met earlier before the HC order came in, decided to await the verdict before taking any decision on the issue which has snowballed into a major row.
Calm prevailed today in the educational institutions which witnessed tense moments over the Hijab row earlier, as the state government had on Tuesday ordered closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days. Most of them returned to the online mode of teaching, sources said. Primary schools functioned as usual across the state without any interruption.
Justice Krishna S Dixit who was hearing since Tuesday a batch of petitions against Hijab ban in classrooms filed by Muslim students from Udupi district, maintained that these matters give rise to certain constitutional questions of seminal importance in view of certain aspects of personal law.
"In view of the enormity of questions of importance which were debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the Chief Justice should decide if a larger bench can be constituted in the subject matter," Justice Dixit said.
The bench was also of the view that the interim prayers should also be placed before larger bench that may be constituted by Chief Justice Awasthi exercising his discretion, Justice Dixit noted in the order.
The petitions were filed by some Muslim girls studying in Government Pre-University colleges in Udupi district against a ban on their entry into classrooms with their hijabs on.
The Karnataka cabinet, which met on Wednesday morning before the High Court order came in, decided to wait for its verdict on the 'hijab' row, before taking any further decision on the matter, which has snowballed into a major controversy.
"We (at the cabinet) discussed the Hijab row, but as the High Court is hearing the matter, we felt it is not appropriate for the cabinet to take any further decisions on the issue today. It was decided to wait for the court's verdict before taking any decision," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
As protests for and against wearing of the headscarf by Muslim women students in class-rooms intensified in different parts of Karnataka and turned violent in some places, the government on Tuesday declared a holiday to all high schools and colleges in the state for three days.
Last week, the government had issued an order making uniforms prescribed by it or management of private institutions mandatory for its students at schools and pre-university colleges across the State.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday accused the Congress of fuelling the Hijab row.
"Congress leaders are adding fuel to the fire in connection with the Hijab issue. If they continue to do so in future, people in Karnataka will throw them in the Arabian Sea," Jnanendra told reporters here.
He said Congress Karnataka chief D K Shivakumar has given wrong information to the media that the Indian tricolour was brought down in Shivamogga and was replaced with saffron flag.
"National tricolour is never flown all the time. Shivakumar is speaking irresponsibly. We can understand the motive behind such statement coming from a senior leader ," the minister said.
Denouncing Congress, Ashoka said, "It is not good for the Congress to instigate people. They give some statement and instigate people. Congress' conspiracy is clearly visible in this issue. One section is fanning this issue while the other is trying to douse it."
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant has promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC against any gathering, agitation, or protests of any type within the area of 200 metre radius from the gates of the schools, pre-university colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru City for a period of two weeks from Wednesday till February 22.
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SRH knocked out of play-off race after washout against DC
Hyderabad, May 5 (PTI): Sunrisers Hyderabad were eliminated from the play-offs race after their Indian Premier League fixture against Delhi Capitals was called off due to heavy rain following the first innings here on Monday.
Pat Cummins-led SRH pace attack ran through the DC batting line-up to limit the visitors to 133/7 before rain dashed the slim hopes of the home team. Both teams shared a point each for the abandoned game.
With 13 points from 11 games, DC remain in contention for a top-four spot.
After reaching the final last year, it was a season to forget for SRH who could not replicate their ballistic run of 2024 with the bat. Having collected only seven points from 11 matches, SRH will now be playing for pride.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were already eliminated from the competition.
Before rain lashed the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, the hosts put up a clinical effort with the ball and were on course for only their fourth win of the season until rain arrived, creating large puddles of water on the outfield. The match officials decided to call off the game at 11.10 pm local time.
The shot selection of Delhi Capitals' batters contributed to their downfall after being put in to bat.
They were left reeling at 29 for five in 7.1 overs with captain Cummins causing the maximum damage.
Cummins had Karun Nair caught behind on the very first ball of the match with a good length ball around the off-stump. It was a rather loose shot from the DC batter first up.
Faf du Plessis departed in Cummins' following over, a failed attempt to put the relentless Australian away for a boundary. Not getting any loose ball from Cummins, the South Africa went for a pull on the charge only to be caught by the wicket-keeper.
Cummins' third victim was Abhishek Porel who was caught after mistiming a flick.
Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat then got into the act by dismissing Axar Patel and K L Rahul respectively. The in-form Rahul went for a drive on the up but ended up edging it to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.
It was one way traffic until Tristian Stubbs (41 not out off 36) and impact player Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26) combined to take DC to a respectable total. They shared a 66-run stand off 45 balls.
Sharma was able to break the shackles by depositing leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari for a couple of sixes over long-on in the 15th over.
Stubbs did not look as comfortable as Sharma in the middle but managed to provide much needed support to the latter. The South African could find only four boundaries with the last one coming off the final ball of the innings.
🚨 News 🚨
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2025
Match 55 between @SunRisers and @DelhiCapitals has been called off due to wet outfield.
Both teams share a point each.
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/1MkIwk4VNE
#TATAIPL | #SRHvDC pic.twitter.com/VnVZWjsjGJ
