A Muslim police officer in Maharashtra refused to abide by Supreme Court order which said that he can be reinstated if he agrees to keep the beard only for a temporary period according to the religious requirement. For past five years, he is on suspension for not complying with no beard policy of Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force.
Zahiroddin Shamsoddin Bedade joined the State Reserve Police Force on January 16, 2008, where he was appointed for the post of constable. During his posting in Jalna, he asked his senior to continue his job while keeping a beard and was given the permission. However, after amendment in the guidelines issued by Maharashtra home department, he was asked to shave his beard.
After the order, Bedade moved the Aurangabad bench of Bombay HC which ordered that he can keep the beard during religious period. Challenging the order, he filed a petition in High Court which dismissed his plea in December 2012. He then knocked the doors of Supreme Court.
In a report published in Times of India, a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D Y Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul heard his petition. After discussing the matter with his colleagues CJI said, “We really feel bad for you. You should not remain out of work. If you wish, what we can do is to allow you to join back as constable if you undertake to keep a beard only during religious periods and not otherwise. It is your choice.”
On which Bedade’s counsel said that the police official was not fine with shaving off his beard. On which the bench said, “Then we cannot help you.”
