Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court has upheld the ban on hijab in educational institutions. A three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court has ruled that wearing the hijab is not a religiously integral part of faith. The court also ruled that students could not oppose the uniform.

The High Court has rejected a petition filed by a PU college student in Udupi seeking permission to wear the religious attire in a classroom. Plaintiffs' attorneys said they would approach the Supreme Court against the verdict.

A three-judge bench of the high court, headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice JM Khazi, delivered the verdict after 11 days of deliberations. After a two-day hearing by a one-judge bench of Justice Krishna Dixit, the petitions were left to a wider bench.

Ahead of the verdict, Section 144 was imposed in the city of Bangalore from Tuesday to the 21st. Bangalore City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant has issued an order forbidding protests, rallies and gatherings. The ban was also announced in Dharwad and Kalburgi districts. Schools and colleges in Shivamogga district are closed today due to the ban.

The students' lawyer Vinod Kulkarni had asked for an interim order allowing him to wear the hijab during Ramadan, but the court rejected his plea. Vinod Kulkarni objected to the claim that the Islamic Holy book does not require the wearing of hijab. He said that wearing hijab is a 1400-year-old custom and it does not affect the general order, morals or health of the society. He also argued that problems arose when the hijab was banned.

The controversy intensified in the state in January and started at the Udupi Government Women's Pre-University College, after six students were expelled from their classes for wearing the hijab. The students further went on a strike.

As the protests intensified, the government imposed a uniform code in colleges. With this, the protest spread to more colleges. Meanwhile, several campuses were giving way to clashes when another group of students arrived wearing saffron shawls.

Seven students, including six students who went on strike at Udupi College, have approached the high court against the ban. Others later filed petitions.

The wide-ranging bench had issued an interim order banning religious wear, in educational institutions where uniforms were mandatory until the final verdict on the petitions.