Himachal Pradesh HC orders dress code for litigants, bars them from wearing jeans, checked shirts

Expressing disappointment over female junior engineer who had appeared before the court in a case wearing multi-coloured check shirt and jeans, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has prescribed a dress code for government officials while attending court hearings. 

“Every litigant appearing before the court is expected to be dressed in a modest manner so as to maintain decorum. After all being appropriately dressed only induces a seriousness of purpose and a sense of decorum which is highly conducive for the dispensation of justice," a division bench comprising justices Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Ajay Mohan Goel said. 

The Bench further directed the state's chief secretary that the advisory should be brought to the notice of every employee. However, a disciplinary action would be taken if the orders are defied by any official. 

However, this is not the first case where a  high court has imposed a specific dress code on employees. Earlier in April the Jharkhand high court had asked all its officers and other staff not to appear before the court in casual dresses.