3 hrs ago
Kerala High Court Upholds Choice of Workplace Attire
A school headmistress said her manager would not let her into school because she wore a churidar instead of a saree.
She asked the Kerala High Court for help.
The court said people usually get to choose their own clothes.
It said nobody can force a clothing rule unless the law supports it.
A government education circular also allowed teachers to wear churidars.
The court allowed the headmistress to enter the school.
It said clothes should not be used to judge someone’s worth or dignity.
The court did not decide whether the manager had done everything she was accused of, because an inquiry was already underway.
The Kerala High Court said citizens can choose what they wear unless a law or valid dress code restricts that choice.
The ruling followed a headmistress’s allegation that a school manager barred her from entering because she wore a churidar.
The court allowed the headmistress to enter the school and said a saree could not be imposed through personal preference.
The court noted that a Directorate of General Education circular permitted teachers to wear churidars.
It did not make findings about the manager, as an inquiry had been ordered, and said authorities should act if warranted.
- Who
- A school headmistress and the school manager; the case was decided by Justice P V Kunhikrishnan of the Kerala High Court.
- What
- The court upheld the right to choose attire absent legal backing for a dress restriction and allowed the headmistress to enter the school.
- Where
- A school in Kottarakkara, Kerala.
- When
- The ruling was issued on October 5; the alleged denial of entry occurred the day after an incident on February 3. The article does not specify the year.
- Why
- The headmistress sought relief after alleging she was stopped from entering school for wearing a churidar rather than a saree.
Headmistress and Court
Manager’s Alleged Position
Workplace attire
Headmistress and Court
The headmistress said the education department’s circular entitled her to wear a churidar; the court said personal attire cannot be dictated without legal backing.
Manager’s Alleged Position
According to the headmistress, the manager told her not to wear a churidar to work and directed security not to admit her if she did.
Key facts
- Court
- Kerala High Court
- Judge
- Justice P V Kunhikrishnan
- Ruling date
- October 5; the year is not specified in the article
- Location
- A school in Kottarakkara, Kerala
- Clothing at issue
- Churidar and saree
- Education circular
- The Directorate of General Education circular permitted teachers to wear churidars, according to the article.
- Further action
- The court noted that an educational authority had ordered an inquiry and said appropriate action should be taken if warranted.
Quotes
Justice P V Kunhikrishnan
Kerala High Court judge who delivered the ruling
“A citizen’s attire is his/her choice, and nobody can insist that it conform to society’s customs, nor can anybody dictate that it be in a manner acceptable to society, especially when no law backs it. These are individual choices of the citizen.”
indianexpress.com
“The Constitution does not make a woman’s dignity contingent on her conformity with another person’s preferred mode of attire.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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