Hijab row: SC declines urgent hearing on plea challenging Karnataka HC order
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to urgently list for hearing an appeal filed against the “ad-interim order” of the Karnataka High Court over the hijab controversy and advised the parties not to spread the controversy to larger levels.
“I don’t want to express anything. Don’t spread these things to larger levels… We also know what is happening there in the state as well as in the hearings also. And you also have to think over whether it’s proper to bring those things to Delhi, national level issues and all that,” Chief Justice of India N V Ramana told senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, who pointed out that a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed against the Karnataka directions and requested that it be taken up urgently.
Kamat contended that it involved legal issues which the apex court must examine. “Definitely we will examine. Definitely if there is something wrong we will definitely protect. We have to protect the constitutional rights of everyone…,” the court said.
As the senior counsel sought to explain the issue involved, the Chief Justice of India told him, “Mr Kamat, no need to go into the merits… Let us see. At appropriate time, definitely we will interfere. Let us see when we have to.”
Kamat urged the bench to list it for hearing on February 14, but the Chief Justice reiterated, “we will take up at appropriate time. Leave it at that”.
