The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition by Sukaina Rizvi, a minor Class 11 student at Tagore Public School in Atarsuiya, Prayagraj, seeking permission to wear a hijab with her school uniform. A division bench of Justice J. J. Munir and Justice Indrajeet Shukla ruled that the petitioner had not provided sufficient facts or legal grounds to establish hijab as a mandatory or essential Islamic religious practice.

Rizvi told the court that she had worn a hijab since childhood and had previously been allowed to wear it with her uniform while studying in Classes 6 to 10 at the same school. She argued that denial of permission violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The court said protection under Article 25 could not be claimed merely through oral assertions without adequate factual and legal support.

The bench emphasized that a neutral, universal and non-discriminatory school dress code could be enforced to maintain discipline and institutional identity. It said uniforms support equality among students and a religiously neutral environment. The school argued that an exemption could disrupt administrative discipline, adding that other Muslim female students followed the prescribed dress code.