PARIS (REUTERS) - France's top administrative court on Tuesday (June 21) upheld an earlier decision to scrap the decision by the town of Grenoble to allow "burkini" bathing suits for women in public pools.

"The new rules of procedure for the municipal swimming pools of Grenoble affect (...) the proper functioning of the public service, and undermines the equal treatment of users, so that the neutrality public service is compromised," the Conseil d'Etat said in a statement.

The municipal council of Grenoble, following a proposal by its ecologist mayor Eric Piolle, had voted in favour of allowing the use of burkinis on May 16, sparking howls of protest from conservative and far-right politicians.

The French government had asked for the move to be overturned.

"The communitarianist views of Eric Piolle, mayor of Grenoble, have been definitely overruled", Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said after the ruling.