Wearing headscarf not an essential part of Islam: Allahabad HC
The bench said the student did not prove hijab is an essential religious practice and upheld the school’s uniform rules as bona fide and non-discriminatory.
- On August 21, the Allahabad High Court rejected a Muslim student's plea to wear a hijab with her uniform at Tagore Public School in Prayagraj, affirming that schools may enforce uniform dress codes for discipline and equality.
- Although the student wore a headscarf from Class 6 to Class 10 without objection, Tagore Public School refused her admission to Class 11 after she insisted on continuing the practice, citing uniform dress code violations.
- Noting the claim was a "bare assertion," the court ruled the student failed to provide authoritative religious texts proving the hijab is essential under Article 25 of the Constitution.
- The bench cited the Karnataka High Court's decision upholding hijab restrictions as persuasive authority, holding that schools retain domain over dress codes since the Supreme Court has not yet settled the issue.
- Requiring a uniform promotes a religion-neutral atmosphere, the court stated, as it applies to students of different faiths without singling out any individual, reinforcing institutional identity within the classroom.
18 Articles
18 Articles
‘No proof it is essential for Muslims’: Allahabad High Court denies schoolgirl’s plea to wear hijab
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a minor student's plea to wear a headscarf with her school uniform, stating that dress codes promote discipline and equality among students. The ruling emphasized that schools can enforce uniform policies without discrimination.
An 11th-grade student at Tagore Public School in Prayagraj had sought permission to wear a hijab with her school uniform. The Allahabad High Court dismissed the petition, stating that wearing a hijab is not a mandatory religious practice of Islam and that the school has the right to enforce its own uniform code.
No Permission to Wear Scarf or Hijab in School; Dress Code Strengthens Secularism: Allahabad High Court
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The student's counsel argued that wearing a scarf is a part of the freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and is linked to her dignity and bodily autonomy. It was further argued that wearing a scarf is part of her religious practice, and preventing her from doing so violates her fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 19(1)(a). India News | No Permission to Wear Sca…
Allahabad HC Says 'Hijab Not Essential To Islam', Rejects Girl's Plea To Wear Headscarf In School
The Allahabad HC has rejected a Muslim student's plea to wear a hijab over her school uniform, ruling that maintaining discipline and campus equality takes priority over individual dress modifications. The court held that schools hold full authority over uniform policies and found no evidence that wearing a headscarf inside a classroom is an essential religious obligation.
'Hijab not essential to Islam': Allahabad High Court rejects student's plea to wear hijab in school
A bench of Justices JJ Munir and Indrajeet Shukla noted that the Supreme Court has not yet finally settled the issue following its split verdict on the Karnataka hijab case, but held that the Karnataka High Court's ruling remains persuasive.
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