NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the dismissal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamlesan, a Christian army officer, for refusing to take part in a regimental ‘Sarva Dharma’ ritual at a cantonment in Punjab, calling his conduct “the biggest kind of indiscipline”.
Lt Kamlesan, who was commanding Sikh, Jat and Rajput troops, allegedly declined to enter the Sarva Dharma Sthal — a space symbolically representing all religions — citing his monotheistic belief.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed his plea and criticised his behaviour.
“What kind of message is he sending… He should have been fired just for that… This is the biggest kind of indiscipline on the part of an army officer,” the bench said.
