Supreme court upholds dismissal of Christian officer who refused Gurudwara service, calls him “unfit” for the Army

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the dismissal of former Indian Army Lieutenant Samuel Kamlesan. Kamlesan was dismissed for refusing to perform seva (service/parade-duty) at his unit's gurdwara. Dismissing the petition, the Supreme Court ruled that he was unfit to remain in the military.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said that discipline and obedience to orders are paramount in the armed forces, and no officer can disobey orders citing personal beliefs. "What message is he sending? Gross indiscipline from an army officer. He should have been dismissed. Do such quarrelsome people deserve to be in the military?" it asked.

Samuel Kamlesan was a lieutenant in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. However, he refused his superior's order to serve at a gurdwara, stating that his monotheistic Christian faith did not permit it. He was subsequently dismissed for violating military discipline. In May, he approached the Delhi High Court, but the court upheld the Army's decision. The case has now reached the Supreme Court, which declared, "He may be a brilliant officer, but he is a misfit for the Indian Army. Given the responsibilities our forces currently face... we don't want to see that."

The petitioner's arguments also fell flat

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing him, argued that Kamalesan had demonstrated goodwill by participating in events of various religions, such as Holi and Diwali, and that excessive action was taken for a single mistake. He also cited the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution, but the court was unpersuaded.