Allahabad HC rejects plea seeking permission to wear hijab in school; says ‘not essential part of Islamic faith’

The Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a plea from a Muslim girl seeking permission to wear a hijab alongside her school uniform. The court ruled that the hijab is not an essential part of Islamic practice, and therefore the student cannot insist on a modification of the standard dress code. The bench, consisting of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Indrajeet Shukla, emphasized that the student's fundamental rights were not being violated, as the school's uniform policy aims to maintain discipline and preserve its institutional identity.

The court also noted that there is no Supreme Court ruling on this matter. The petitioner, a minor student at an unaided private school in Prayagraj's Attarsuiya, had been wearing the hijab from Class VI to X without any opposition from the school. However, the authorities rejected her admission into Class XI because she wanted to continue wearing her hijab.

The school defended its decision, stating that it is a private organization affiliated with the CBSE, and that its dress code applies uniformly to all students, regardless of their background. The court rejected the argument that allowing the hijab would be an estoppel against enforcing the uniform policy in the future, as other girls of the same faith had followed the dress code in the past.