Do constitutional bodies have a dress code? The Madras High Court asks the state to respond to the plea of ​​Deputy Prime Minister Udayanidhi Stalin

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, the bench Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji asked the AG to find out whether there is a dress code prescribed for constitutional bodies in the state of Tamil Nadu. Then the court adjourned the case for a week.

The notice was issued on the basis of an application filed by advocate Sathya Kumar. In his plea, Kumar says that Udayanidhi Stalin, who is the state’s youth affairs and sports development minister and who was recently appointed as the state’s deputy chief minister, is seen wearing a casual T-shirt at all government functions, in the ministerial office and in the deputy chief minister’s cabin “accordingly to the dress code prescribed in the Tamil Nadu State Secretariat Guidelines.’

He added that according to GO (Ms) No. 67 dated June 1, 2019, issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, all civil servants are required to wear neat, clean and formal clothing that is appropriate to the work environment to: maintain the decorum of the office. According to the GO, male employees must wear shirts with formal trousers or a vesthi (dhoti) that reflects Tamil culture or any Indian traditional dress.

He also stated that Udayanidhi’s T-shirts often sported the symbol of his party, the DMK, and as a civil servant, he was not allowed to display a particular symbol of a political party at government meetings. It added that by flaunting, displaying and waving his party’s symbols, Udayanidhi is indirectly appealing to the general public who are potential voters in the upcoming elections.

Although the court initially asked the plaintiff whether the GO would apply in this case, the panel decided to accept the case and asked the AG to respond.

Case Name: Dr. M. Sathya Kumar vs. Government of Tamil Nadu and another

Case No: WP 32146 of 2024