The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Indian Army’s decision to dismiss former lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan, who refused to enter the sanctum sanctorum of a gurdwara to perform a puja, citing his monotheistic Christian beliefs. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant criticised the officer’s conduct, calling him a “cantankerous man” and a “misfit for the Army,” and stressed that such defiance amounted to gross indiscipline. The court observed that Kamalesan failed to respect the religious sentiments of his Sikh colleagues, an essential expectation in a diverse, unified military environment.
Rejecting Kamalesan’s argument that his religious freedom protected his refusal, the court said that personal interpretations of faith cannot override military discipline. Justice Joymala Bagchi remarked that a soldier in uniform cannot insist on private religious boundaries while serving in a secular and disciplined force.
Kamalesan’s counsel argued that the Army overreacted to a “single infraction” and that the officer had always participated in other interfaith activities. However, the court held that refusal to follow a lawful command directly impacts unit cohesion. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had also upheld his dismissal, noting that he placed his religion above military orders—an act deemed incompatible with Army discipline.
