Cop beard row lands in SC

Can a policeman be dismissed from the service for not trimming his beard? The Haryana government says it can.
Justifying its decision to terminate a constable from the paramilitary forces on this ground, the state has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Punjab and Haryana high court order directing reinstatement of the policeman who was removed from services after he refused to trim his beard.
The High Court had in January this year ruled in favour of the policeman, Satpal Khan, permitting him to keep the beard because he was a Muslim.
It held the government order was in violation of Khan’s fundamental right to religion that disallowed him to shave off his beard. Further, the bench concluded that since Khan had followed the rules and sought permission to keep a beard, the authorities could not throw him out of the service.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Khan on the Haryana government’s appeal.
It also condoned the delay in time that the government took to file the appeal.
According to the state government, it had adopted the Centre’s instructions on keeping a beard by the personnel of the paramilitary forces in 2001.
The instructions permit a Muslim to keep a beard after obtaining necessary permission from the commandant.
-
Light rainfall in parts of Delhi bring slight relief from searing heat
Parts of Delhi receive light rain on Friday, bringing some relief from the scorching heat over the past few days. Stormy weather was also reported from some areas of Noida. Citizens of the national capital had woken up to a warm morning with the minimum temperature settling two notches above normal at 28.2 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department.
-
Deal with post-sacrilege police firing cases sternly, Punjab CM urged
Amritsar North Aam Aadmi Party MLA and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh on Friday urged Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to deal with the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing incidents with a strong hand as the accused are trying hard to get acquitted. In a letter to Mann, Kunwar Vijay laid emphasis on defending petitions pending in the high court and proceeding with the trial in the Faridkot sessions court.
-
Navjot Sidhu surrenders in Patiala court; judge starts process to send him to jail
After a last-ditch effort to get some time to surrender didn't work, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday surrendered before the court of Patiala's chief judicial magistrate. Sidhu started at 3.50pm from home and reached the court complex with a group of supporters. Sidhu is expected to be lodged at the Patiala central jail that has been prepping for the new inmate. Sidhu's archrival Bikram Singh Majithia is also lodged in the Patiala Jail.
-
Gyanesh Bharti appointed commissioner of unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi
The Centre on Friday appointed 1998 batch IAS officer Gyanesh Bharti as the new commissioner of unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the ministry of home affairs said. The Centre has appointed 1992 batch IAS officer Ashwani Kumar as the special officer in the unified MCD.
-
Global Village Idiot: 1,001 secrets to an engaged work life!
I meet many people during a typical day. Of late, I seem to be meeting quite a few people in India who are giving up jobs to start ventures. Because? Well, because work is work. Practice at all levels, all the time. What is otherwise called “being in the zone”. Do you know why? Because the average human being doesn't find their own work exciting. And this is true even for work you lovvvvvve doing.