NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea by a group of hijab wearing students for immediate hearing on their interim application for permission to put on headscarf during the Karnataka's Pre University Colleges examinations beginning March 9.
"Hijab wearing students have already lost a year because of ban. What about this academic year? Should they lose this also," a counsel mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala.
On this, the CJI said, "I can't answer your questions. A bench will be constituted after Holi break."
At the outset, the counsel said students have already lost one year, they will lose another year.
"You have come on the last date. We will take it up after vacations (Holi)," the bench told the counsel.
The counsel pleaded that the matter was mentioned in January and February but it has not come up for hearing.
The Supreme Court is to set up a three judge bench to adjudicate upon a batch of petitions challenging validity of the Karnataka government's order of February 5, 2022 banning wearing of hijab in classrooms of PU colleges.
On October 13, 2022, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had given a split judgement.
On March 15, 2022, the Karnataka High Court's full judge bench had upheld the ban.
