In a decisive move, the Supreme Court of India on Friday intervened in a contentious issue by staying a circular from a private college in Mumbai that banned the wearing of hijabs, badges, or caps on campus. The ruling, which halts the ban until November 18, came with sharp questions from the bench consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar.
During the proceedings, the justices scrutinized the college’s policy, which was initially justified on the grounds that it prevented the display of religious affiliations among students. Justice Khanna openly challenged the rationale, questioning, “What is this? Don’t impose such a rule…what is this? Don’t reveal religion?”
Expanding on the theme of identity and its visible markers, Justice Kumar posed a rhetorical question, “Will their names not reveal religion? Will you ask them to be identified by numbers?” These questions highlighted the complexities of enforcing uniformity in a culturally diverse educational environment.
The college’s administration had defended its policy by stating that out of 441 Muslim female students, only three petitioners had raised objections to the hijab ban. However, the court’s intervention underscores a significant judicial pushback against policies perceived as infringing on personal freedoms and religious expressions.
