The Allahabad High Court rejects a petition from a student in Uttar Pradesh who seeks permission to wear a headscarf, or hijab, in addition to her school uniform. The court dismisses the plea and does not grant directions to school authorities.
The outlets report the ruling on the basis that a headscarf is not shown to be an essential religious practice in Islam. The Times of India notes the court points to a lack of factual foundation for the claim of religious necessity, including that photographs do not show other students—even from the same community—wearing headscarves. NDTV and India Today similarly describe the court’s conclusion that the hijab is not essential to Islam, and that this view aligns with earlier High Court opinions referenced in the decision.
