Allowance of Sikh Kakaars in competitive exams: HC ask petitioner to submit memorandum to Punjab, Haryana Govts – Times of India

The high court’s double bench of chief justice, Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli in its order dated March 14, 2022, also directed the Haryana and Punjab state governments that in the event if any representation is submitted by the petitioner the same shall be duly examined and appropriate measures/decision in this regard shall be taken.

As per the information, high court advocate and an aspirant of government service, Charanpal Singh Bagri, belonging to Sikh community, had filed a civil writ petition public interest litigation (CWP-PIL-65-2019) on March 30, 2019 against a notice of Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) prohibiting candidates appearing in the Haryana Civil Services and other Allied Services Preliminary Examination-2017, scheduled to be held on March 31, 2019, from carrying religious signs, etc. of any religion in the exam centre.
Advocate Bagri had prayed for the direction, impleading Haryana and Punjab states as well as Union of India to enact a law permitting Sikhs to carry, wear and keep five religious signs of Sikh faith i.e. Kes, Kanga, Karha, Kirpan and Kachhiara and not to impose any prohibition upon the Sikh students.

The high court in its interim order dated March 30, 2019, had set aside the HPSC notice and directed the concerned officials to upload this order on their website forthwith, especially the directions issued in the concluding part in bold letters so that such baptised Sikh candidates, who intend to carry Karha and Kirpan to the exam centres, should reach there one hour before the reporting time and allow the authorities, to screen their Karha and Kirpan to find out any suspected device.

Giving final order on this petition on March 4, 2022, the high court order said, “…counsel appearing for Punjab and Haryana states, submit that if the petitioner submits a representation to the respective state governments as regards his concerns and grievances, the same shall be duly considered and dealt with, in accordance with law.”

The petitioner submitted that he shall submit a comprehensive representation to both the state governments, at the earliest.

The high court disposed of this petition in terms of the statements made by learned counsels of the parties.

Speaking to the
TOI, Advocate Charanpal Singh said on Wednesday, “It is a victory for us in the high court and very soon, we will submit a comprehensive representation to the state governments of Punjab and Haryana.”