Members of Turkey's top court to debate headscarf file

"I will bring up the file after I learn the views of our members," Kilic was quoted by the Anatolian Agency as saying.

The Turkish parliament passed the bill to amend the Constitution to lift the headscarf ban in universities in February; a move that sparked concerns regarding the future of secularism and divided the public opinion. Turkey's leftist main opposition CHP later challenged the bill in the Court and demanded its annulment.    

"No matter what the decision is, you will see that our democracy, our secular order and our laws will be empowered after this process. And believe me this is not a wish," Turkey's Referans daily quoted Kilic as saying on Friday. His remarks came just two hours before Osman Can, the rapporteur to Turkey's Constitutional Court, submitted his non-binding report on the case to the court.

Can submitted last week his non-binding report, which recommends the Court reject the case to annul the controversial bill, to Kilic, and was circulated among the members.

According to the legal procedure, Kilic will set a date to see the case and deliver its ruling. The Court is expected to deliver its ruling by end-May.

Photo: AA  Â