PARIS - France's top administrative body advised the government yesterday that a complete ban on the wearing of a full Islamic veil would be vulnerable to legal challenge. President Nicolas Sarkozy's government wants to ban women from wearing full face veils such as the niqab or the burqa and had asked the State Council for advice before proposing legislation. But the council warned that attempts to stop Muslim women from wearing veils in their homes or on the street would be legally questionable and a law should be limited to interactions with the state or security officials. "It appears to the State Council that a general and absolute ban on the full veil as such can have no uncontestable judicial basis," the body said, in a report to Prime Minister Francois Fillon. "That said, for reasons of security and to combat fraud and furthermore because of the requirements of some public services it would be justified to require that faces be uncovered in some places or for some procedures." Following the report, the government is expected to press ahead quickly with legislation, which would affect the fewer than 2,000 Muslim women in France who are currently veiled for cultural or religious reasons.
