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Synopsis

Nine students have moved the Bombay High Court against the ban imposed by college authorities on hijab, burqa, and niqabs.

The petition has been filed by students of Mumbai's NG Acharya and D. K. Marathe College of Arts, Science and Commerce. 

The petition was mentioned before the bench of Justice AS Chandurkar. The petition will be taken up next week.

The students contended that they had approached the principal and college management to withdraw the dress code.

It has been contended by the students that burqa, hijab, niqab, cap, and stole are an integral part of their religion and such a dress code is violative of their fundamental rights.

As per the plea, the grievance with respect to the dress code was also raised before the chancellor and vice chancellor as well as the University Grants Commission, but due to no response, they approached the high court.

The petition states that the ban on burqa, hijab, and niqab is per se discriminatory as the same is not imposed on bindi, teeka, rakhi, etc.

"Petitioners state that the college trustees, teaching and non- teaching staff of Respondent [College] follow and propagate their pooja / religious beliefs and culture during commencement / conclusion of annual functions and cultural programs organised in college. Petitioners never had, and do not have, any difficulty to any such as religious or cultural practice or belief. More so, religious pendant, Bindi, Teeka, religious treads around wrist, rakhi and finger rings are allowed in the classroom and thus, imposing restrictions selectively is per se discriminatory, illegal and bad-in-law.," the plea states.