‘Attire is a citizen’s choice’: Kerala HC backs school headmistress over attire row

“A citizen’s attire is their choice, and nobody can insist that it conform to society’s customs, especially when there is no law backing it,” the Kerala High Court has observed.

Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan was considering a petition by the headmistress of Eeswara Vilasom High School, Kottarakara, Kollam, seeking to disqualify the school’s manager for allegedly denying her entry into the school for wearing churidar-kameez instead of a sari. She also sought police protection for her remaining tenure at the school.

The court observed that it did not need to direct his disqualification since an inquiry was in progress against the manager. The court directed the Station House Officer, Kottarakara, to ensure that the manager did not impede the petitioner from discharging her duties as the headmistress.

The petitioner claimed that the manager threatened her against wearing churidar-kameez to school and allegedly instructed the security personnel to deny the petitioner’s entry if she did so. Later, she had to seek police help to enter the school premises, as the security personnel allegedly stopped her. She cited a circular issued by the Directorate General of Education, stating that she was entitled to wear churidar-kameez to school. 

The court was informed that the District Educational Officer, Kottarakara, visited the school after the alleged incident and produced a prima facie report to the Deputy Director of Education, Kollam, for disciplinary action against the manager.

Manager refutes charges

The manager, however, denied the allegations and claimed that the headmistress was derelict in her duty and that she had been issued several notices.

However, the court stated that it would not make any observation on this contention, since it was for the authority concerned to do the needful.