Bengaluru, Feb 9 : The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday refused to pass any interim orders, permitting female students to attend colleges wearing hijab and referred the matter to a larger bench. The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Krishna Dixit observed that the question of interim relief will also be considered by the larger bench. “Having regard to the enormity of questions of importance which are debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the papers be put at the hand of Chief Justice to decide if a larger bench can be constituted in the subject matter,” Justice Dixit noted.
The Bench said, “Even interim prayers merit consideration at the hands of a larger bench that may be constituted by the Chief Justice in his discretion and therefore, the arguments advanced on interim prayers are reproduced here.” In the above circumstances, Justice Dixit ordered the registry to place the papers before the Chief Justice for consideration immediately, considering the urgency pleaded in the petitions.
He also said that it is open for the petitioners to seek interim relief after a decision is taken by the CJ regarding the constitution of a larger bench. Earlier, the state police had banned protests, agitations, demonstrations and gatherings within the area of 200-meter radius from the gate of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru city for two weeks.
The High Court on Tuesday had appealed to the student community and citizens to maintain peace and tranquility amid reports of violence. The same evening, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered closure of schools and colleges for the next three days, following tension over the Hijab row in different parts of the state.
