The three-judge bench of the Karnataka high court has begun hearing the petitions questioning the ban on wearing of ‘hijabs’ (headscarves) by students in colleges. Chief Justice of HC Ritu Raj Awasthi has constituted a full bench comprising himself, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M Khazi in view of the urgency to hear the matter. Meanwhile, the Supreme court on Thursday declined to urgently list a plea seeking transfer of the petitions from the high court.