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Kerala High Court Closes St. Rita's Hijab Petition After Student Transfers

The court left the jurisdiction and rights questions unresolved.

Overview

  • Justice V G Arun closed the writ petition after the girl's parents withdrew her from St. Rita's and enrolled her in a school that permits a headscarf.
  • The State Attorney told the court the government would not press the matter in light of the family's decision.
  • Earlier, the Ernakulam Deputy Director of Education had directed the school to allow the student to attend classes wearing a headscarf.
  • St. Rita's, a CBSE-affiliated minority institution, argued state education officers lack authority over its internal regulations and called the directive illegal.
  • In an affidavit, the Kerala government said forbidding the hijab invaded privacy and dignity and denied secular education, asserting departmental powers under CBSE affiliation rules.