On 13th October, 2022, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on the Karnataka government’s ban on wearing hijab in state pre-university colleges.
About Split Verdict: A split verdict is passed when the Bench cannot decide one way or the other in a case, either by a unanimous decision or by a majority verdict. Split verdicts can only happen when the Bench has an even number of judges. This is why judges usually sit in Benches of odd numbers (three, five, seven, etc.).
Significance/Impacts: In case of a split verdict, the case is heard by a larger Bench. The larger Bench to which a split verdict goes can be a three-judge Bench of the High Court, or an appeal can be preferred before the Supreme Court.
