The court said that the student could not provide sufficient religious evidence to prove that wearing a headscarf in school is an obligatory religious practice of Islam.
No scarf or hijab allowed in school: Allahabad HC: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition seeking permission to wear a scarf or hijab in schools. According to the court, the purpose of school uniforms is to maintain equality among students, discipline, institutional identity, and a secular educational environment.
The incident has come to light from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. A student named Sukaina Rizvi of private school in Attarsuiya had filed a writ petition seeking permission to wear the scarf with her school uniform. Rizvi said that she has been wearing a head scarf since class six and was never objected by the school authorities. But at the time of admission to class 11, the school management said that wearing a scarf is violation of the dress code, so she cannot be admitted. The court also clarified that a school’s failure to object to the wearing of a headscarf in previous classes does not confer a legal right to wear it in the future.
A division bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Indrajit Shukla said that it is necessary to follow the prescribed dress code of the educational institution. The court said that the student could not provide sufficient religious evidence to prove that wearing a headscarf in school is an obligatory religious practice of Islam.
The Allahabad High Court said that if the dress code is uniform, non-discriminatory and enforced for the purpose of maintaining discipline, then there cannot be a demand for special exemption to any individual student. According to the court, the purpose of school uniform is to maintain equality among students, discipline, identity of the institution and secular educational environment. On these grounds, the High Court rejected the writ petition of the student.
ALSO READ: Sensex, Nifty Open Lower as Global Cues Weigh on Market
