While heading full bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on May 30, 2009, Justice Khehar had held, "Retaining hair unshorn is a fundamental tenet of the Sikh religion and a Sikh is one who keeps unshorn hair and does not trim beard or pluck eyebrows."
Justifying judicial intervention on such issues, Justice Khehar, who spoke for the bench, had also maintained that once a court arrives at the conclusion that a particular aspect of a religion, is fundamental and integral, as per the followers of the faith, it must be given effect to, irrespective of the views expressed on the said issue, based either on science or logic.
"Not only that, under the 'Sikh rehat-maryada', a Sikh is not permitted to dishonour hair, or even to harbour any antipathy to hair of the head with which a child is born. Dyeing one's hair is considered as an act of dishonouring hair. Transgression of these norms is treated as 'tabooed practice', which is condonable only after suffering a chastisement prescribed," he had held in the historic judgment. Two other judges, Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice A K Mittal, were also part of the bench headed by him.
with thanks : Times of india : Link above for detailed news.
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