New Delhi, September 11: The Supreme Court today issued a fresh notice to a convent school in Madhya Pradesh on a Muslim student’s right to sport a beard.
A Bench of Justices B N Agrawal and G S Singhvi termed as “ridiculous” the school’s decision to remove the student, Mohd Salim, after he refused to shave his beard on religious grounds.
The apex court notice to Nirmala Convent High School, Madhya Pradesh comes after another Bench recused itself from hearing the matter.
The earlier Bench of Justices R V Raveendran and Markandey Katju had initially dismissed the student’s plea.
However, Justice Katju at that time made certain controversial observations that the country cannot be Talibanised by insistence on sporting a beard.
Justice Katju, subsequently in a review petition filed by the student, tendered an apology and recalled the dismissal order, and recommended that the matter be posted for a fresh hearing.
–PTI