Switzerland votes to ban publicly face covering

Switzerland has narrowly voted in favour of banning face coverings in public, including the burka or niqab worn by Muslim women, reported British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Official results showed the measure had passed by 51.2% to 48.8% in Sunday's referendum.

The proposal was put forward by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) which campaigned with slogans such as "Stop extremism", said BBC.

A leading Swiss Islamic group said it was "a dark day" for Muslims.

"Today's decision opens old wounds, further expands the principle of legal inequality, and sends a clear signal of exclusion to the Muslim minority," said the BBC report, quoting a statement of the Central Council of Muslims as saying.

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Geneva, said the result is not the thumping majority that the SVP had hoped for but it is enough to ensure a ban on face coverings will be written into Switzerland's constitution.

Click BBC to read the detail original report.