Hijab row: Karnataka High Court's order; cops ban protests near Bengaluru schools

The hijab debate in Karnataka is set to continue after the Karnataka High Court decided to refer the matter to a larger bench.

The single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Dixit reportedly said that given "the enormity of questions of importance which are debated", the Chief Justice should decide whether a larger bench should hear the matter.

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Justice Dixit also refrained from providing interim relief to the petitioners seeking the right to wear hijab in classrooms. The court reportedly said that the question of interim relief can be taken up when the larger bench hears the plea.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru police banned gatherings and protests near schools and colleges for two weeks amid mounting tension.

A day earlier, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced closure of all schools and colleges for three days. He had appealed for peace and harmony to be maintained in the state.

The whole controversy was sparked by some students at the Government Girls PU College in Udupi being denied entry into classrooms while sporting the Islamic headgear. Similar scenes then played out in some other institutes.

Students belonging to another community also started wearing saffron scarves to counter the practice of wearing hijab.

The Karnataka government then banned all clothes which can disturb "equality, integrity, and public order" in schools and colleges.