The Supreme Court on Thursday held that the Indian Air Force personnel cannot sport beard and said the armed forces’ rules aimed at maintaining disciple and uniformity, India Today reported. The apex court bench, headed by Justice TS Thakur, also upheld the sacking of an IAF personnel for keeping long beard.

A petition was filed by an IAF employee Ansari Aftab Ahmed in 2008 challenging the IAF authorities’ confidential order prohibiting Muslim personnel from sporting a beard, PTI reported. Ahmed in his petition sought equality with Sikhs who are allowed to keep their hair long and wear turban. Ahmed claimed sporting a beard was his fundamental right to freedom of religion.

The IAF in the court had said that the practice of growing and keeping a beard is optional, and not universally recognised as an integral part of Islam. “All Muslims do not carry beard...Therefore, it cannot be said that Muslim religion prohibits the cutting of hair or shaving of the face of its member,” the IAF had said according to The Indian Express.