Thursday, August 18, 2016

Strange Case of Fundamental Rights

As Reported in The Times of India, on January 6, 2016

Madurai: A member of the Southern Districts Women's Federation has filed an appeal in the Madurai bench of the Madras high court against its single judge order prescribing a dress code for devotees visiting temples.

The petitioner Sarika said that if the order was implemented, the women's right to worship would be affected and violated. "The restriction in the form of a dress code is against the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Indian Constitution. Temple is a public place which is visited by persons of diverse culture and thus prescribing a dress code is a violation of customary practices," said the petitioner.

Besides, the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act also says that no person shall enter any temple premises unless he or she has had a bath and wears clothes of such materials and in such a manner as is customary in such temples. Hence there is no need for a court dress code, she said. On December 1, the Madras High Court bench directed the state government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to implement the dress code.

Disposing of a petition, Justice S Vaidyanathan had said, "we should dress for public worship in a way that is generally considered appropriate." "The department should consider implementing the dress code as follows: for men dhoti or pyjamas with upper cloth or formal pants and shirts, and for women saree or half saree with blouse, churidhars with upper cloth, for children any fully covered dress," the judge had said.


What is your opinion on this matter?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Dress code for a temple should not be considered good at all. There must be some space for personal beliefs and values.In many of the temples of the country,the male priests wear just dhoti and nothing on the upper part of the body. Does it mean that they are showing indecency in dress. It is best to allow devotees to wear what they want.

Anonymous said...

Ordering people to wear a dress code while visiting temple cannot be considered good at all. First of all, no dress shows the love of the person for his god & his/ her believe in God. Secondly, for a country which says itself a SECULAR it is really unjustified to allow such an order through court, which directly interfere's in one's believe in his/ her God. Thirdly, it is a persons's fundamental right to choose what he/she wants to wear while worshiping his/her God.

Anonymous said...

Ordering people to wear dress code is not a very good decision by the court. In the era of liberalism every has right to do anything he wants . The wearing of dress code does not shaken the belief in god and almighty. It is direct intervention in private rights of choose the things he or she believes to be right. As a law student we have to know that the court are giving decision without any evidence which makes a great change and pointing out the rationality of person which knows what to wear in a particular situation.