If you are aspiring to get a job in Indian Air Force (IAF), better kill your love for tattoos first.
The Delhi High Court (HC) has upheld the enrolment norms of the IAF which restricts the candidates seeking enrolment in IAF from sporting permanent tattoos on their bodies, except in special cases.
The HC ruling came in a petition filed by a candidate who was rejected by the IAF for having a permanent tattoo carved on the external side of his forearm.
The norms of the IAF also grants relaxation and permits certain kind of tattoos, including in case of tribals, which are as per customs and traditions, PTI reported.
Rejected candidate files petition
The man whose enrolment was cancelled by the IAF authorities recently had applied for the post of an Airman in September 2016, following which he cleared the written, physical and medical rounds in February 2017.
He had even received a call letter from the IAF in November 2017 and was asked to report on December 24, 2017.
A day after he got his call letter, the authorities issued a cancellation letter to him. The IAF pointed out in the advertisement issued during the time of the notification had clearly stated that the permanent tattoos were not permissible for selection into the armed forces.
In response to the cancellation, the man filed a petition in the High Court, which was considered by justices Kohli and Palli.
In the petition, the complainant has claimed that he had clearly declared to the IAF authorities that he had a tattoo and that he has not hidden anything from them, the news agency reported.
Bench dismisses petition
"Having regard to the fact that tattoos engraved on the body of the petitioner are not in conformity with the relaxation granted in the advertisement, we do not find any infirmity in the impugned order of cancellation of his appointment," the HC bench ruled.
The bench stressed that permanent body tattoo on the inner side of forearms, the rear (dorsal) part of the hand/palm and in the case of tribals with tattoos, as per custom and traditions of their tribes, were only permitted.
The bench then observed that the IAF authorities cannot be held responsible for the cancellation of his (rejected candidate) enrolment, as he had failed to submit the photograph of his tattoo— going by the defence norms.
