The law, which was overwhelmingly approved in both houses of the French legislature, is set to take effect next spring, CNN reported. Wearing such apparel would be punishable by a fine of as much as $190 and offenders would be required to attend a citizenship course.
The fine for forcing a woman to wear a burqa or a niqab -- a veil that exposes only the eyes -- will be $19,000. The French government said forcing women to wear such items is "a new form of enslavement that the republic cannot accept on its soil," CNN said.
The French Constitutional Council found the punishment provided under the law is not disproportionate and doesn’t prevent the free exercise of religion in a place of worship, CNN said.
A survey conducted this year by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found 82 % of those polled approved of a ban and 17 % disapproved.
Amnesty International has criticized the ban, saying it would violate European human rights law.
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