The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that Muslim policemen can maintain a neatly trimmed beard. This decision respects their religious practices while ensuring professional standards. The court highlighted the need to balance individual rights with uniformity in the police force.
Madurai : The Madras High Court ruled that, based on the 1957 Madras Police Gazette, Muslim policemen in Tamil Nadu allowed to keep their beards trimmed and tidy while on duty.
The Madurai Bench annulled the police commissioner’s punishment of a Muslim constable, emphasizing that maintaining discipline in the police force does not justify penalizing minority community members, particularly Muslims, for having a beard. The officer previously faced a two-year increment reduction as punishment for maintaining a beard.
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Justice L. Victoria Gowri noted that,
“India is characterized by its rich diversity of religions and customs, and it would be unjust for the police department to penalize Muslim officers for maintaining beards in accordance with their religious practices.”
The June 5 order, stated,
“The norms outlined in the Madras Police Gazette indicate that Muslims are allowed to maintain a trim and tidy beard even while on duty. India, being a land of diverse religions and customs, draws its beauty and uniqueness from this diversity of beliefs and culture. Although the Tamil Nadu police department requires strict discipline, this requirement does not justify punishing employees from minority communities, particularly Muslims, for keeping a beard as part of their lifelong adherence to the teachings of Prophet Mohammed,”
A police constable, who faced disciplinary action for maintaining a beard after returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, received relief from the High Court on June 5. In 2018, the constable granted a 31-day leave for the pilgrimage. Upon his return, he requested an extension due to a leg infection, but the Assistant Commissioner denied this extension and questioned his beard.
In 2019, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) asked the constable to formally explain why he had a beard, which was against the Madras Police Gazette regulations. Two charges brought against him, maintaining a beard and failing to report back to duty after his leave, instead seeking additional medical leave for approximately 20 days.
By 2021, the DCP decided to halt the constable’s salary increment for three years with cumulative effect as punishment. The constable appealed, and the Police Commissioner reduced the punishment to a two-year increment halt without cumulative effect. The constable challenged this decision in the High Court.
The High Court found the modified punishment to be excessively severe and annulled the Commissioner’s penal order, directing the Commissioner to issue a fresh order within eight weeks.
The Court noted,
“The constable should have been granted medical leave due to his infection after returning from his 30-day leave.”
Advocate G Karthick from Lajapathi Roy Associates represented the constable, while Government advocate J John Rajadurai represented the Madurai police commissioner and DCP.
Read Judgement: [G Abdul Khadar Ibrahim v. The Commissioner of Police and anr].