HC declines stay in school hijab dispute

The Kerala High Court has refused to issue an interim stay on a directive from the Deputy Director of Education, Ernakulam, instructing St Rita’s Public School in Kochi to permit a Muslim girl student to attend classes wearing a headscarf.

- HD Bureau

Justice V. G. Arun heard the matter and directed the State Attorney to seek instructions, while emphasizing that no coercive action may be taken against the school, given its CBSE affiliation.

St Rita’s, a Christian-management unaided institution, had challenged the DDE’ order, arguing that it undermines the school’s authority to enforce its uniform policy and that the DDE lacked jurisdiction over a CBSE-affiliated minority school.