The Bombay High Court on Wednesday junked a petition filed by nine female students challenging the dress code restrictions imposed by the authorities of a college in Mumbai. The college had prohibited students from wearing hijab, nakab, burkha, stole, etc., on campus. However, the college had clarified that the ban applies to all religious symbols and was not meant to target at Muslims.
According to a Live Law report, a division bench of Justice AS Chandurkar and Justice Rajesh Patil rejected the petition by nine girls. However, a detailed order copy is still awaited.
The Mumbai college in question had contended that the purpose of banning these items is to avoid the display of religious symbols, except for those considered part of the fundamental right to religion, like the turban for Sikhs.
The nine students of NG Acharya and DK Marathe College of Art, Science and Commerce had challenged the new dress code as violative of their fundamental rights to privacy, dignity, and religious freedom. The petitioners moved the high court calling these instructions illegal, arbitrary, and unreasonable. They further contended that the notice was not supported by any statutory authority.
According to the report, the petitioner contended that they have been wearing the niqab and hijab for several years both within and outside the college. And the fresh notice by the college enlisting instruction for students published on its website and circulated through a WhatsApp message, mandating a dress code prohibitted burkha, niqab, hijab, caps, badges, and stoles, violated their fundamental rights.