Nine students have filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging a directive from their college that prohibits the wearing of hijab, burka, and naqab in classrooms. The girls argue that the ban imposed by Chembur Trombay Education Society's NG Acharya and DK Marathe College is deemed "arbitrary, unreasonable, bad-in-law and perverse".
A bench headed by Justice AS Chandurkar will hear the petition next week. According to the petition, on May 1, a notice accompanied by a message was disseminated through the college's WhatsApp group, comprising faculty and students, introducing a dress code regulation that prohibits the wearing of burka, naqab, hijab, badges, cap, and stole.
The second and third-year degree students, who filed the petition, argued that such a directive amounted to a "colourable exercise of power". They contended that the naqab, burka, and hijab are essential aspects of their religious beliefs, and imposing a ban on them violated their fundamental rights.
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". They also brought their grievance against the notice to the attention of the chancellor and vice-chancellor of the university, along with the University Grants Commission, requesting their intervention "to uphold the spirit of imparting education to all citizens without discrimination".