Muslim cop says no to SC’S advice on shaving his beard

BEDADE HAD APPROACHED SC IN 2013 AFTER THE BOMBAY HC DISALLOWED HIM SPORT A BEARD WHILE WORKING IN THE FORCE

A Muslim cop from Maharashtra who lost his job because he insisted on keeping a beard rejected on Thursday Supreme Court’s advice to shave temporarily so that he could work until his petition challenging the dismissal was decided.

“There is no concept of a temporary beard in Islam,” Mohammed Irshad Hanif, lawyer for the Maharashtra Reserve Police Force cop told a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar, which said it can let him join back for now on sympathetic grounds.

“We feel sorry for you. Why don’t you join?” the CJI said when Hanif pressed for an early hearing of the dismissed cop’s appeal. Justice Khehar also said that the court shall allow him to keep a beard during the festivities. But, after the lawyer’s response the CJI rejected his prayer.

Zahiroddin Shamsoddin Bedade had approached the top court in 2013 after the Bombay HC disallowed him sport a beard while working in the force.

SC had granted leave in the case, which meant the matter would be heard at length to be decided on merits. During Thursday’s hearing Bedade wanted SC to expedite the hearing of his petition. He has said he was initially allowed to sport a beard, provided it was trimmed and kept neat and tidy. His commandant later withdrew the permission as it was against the rules and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him.