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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  IAF officers can’t grow beard on religious grounds: Supreme Court
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IAF officers can’t grow beard on religious grounds: Supreme Court

Chief justice T.S.Thakur said Centre's decision to prohibit IAF personnel of a particular community from sporting beard does not infringe upon fundamental rights

Centre had earlier told the court that IAF is undoubtedly a secular force having due regard for all religions. Photo: PTIPremium
Centre had earlier told the court that IAF is undoubtedly a secular force having due regard for all religions. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal brought by a Ansari Aftab Ahmed, an Indian Air Force (IAF) employee, who had challenged an order passed by the Punjab and Haryana high court directing him to shave his beard.

A bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur said Ansari, enrolled as a member of the air force was necessarily required to abide by the discipline of the force and that barring a Muslim personnel from doing so did not interfere with freedom of religion.

“Regulations and policies in regard to personal appearance were not intended to discriminate against religious beliefs nor do they have an effect of doing so", the order held.

It was held that the two petitioners were unable to show that their case was covered within the ambit of the specific regulation that taken into consideration prohibiting a personnel from cutting of hair or shaving of the face on religious grounds.

It further explained that the object and purpose of a strict policy was to ensure uniformity, cohesiveness and discipline which are indispensable to the air force.

Ansari who joined the air force in 2001 had argued that maintaining a beard formed part of his religion and sought equality with members of the Sikh community who are allowed to sport a beard and turban.

On 26 August, 2005, the two personnel were informed that under the current policy of the air forced dated 24 February, 2003 and 9 July, 2004, an airman was not permitted to have a beard on religious grounds and accordingly, the personnel were directed to shave off their beard.

Following this, the personnel approached the Punjab and Haryana high court, a division bench of which held that maintaining a beard was not an integral part of the Muslim religion.

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Published: 15 Dec 2016, 04:26 PM IST
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