Exemption to Sikhs from wearing helmets not based on religion but reasonable classification

Exemption to Sikhs from wearing helmets not based on religion but reasonable classification

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Jul 2, 2026: The Bombay High Court has upheld the legal exemption allowing Sikh men wearing turbans to ride two-wheelers without helmets, ruling that the provision is based on a reasonable classification and not on religion.

A division bench of Justices Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nivedita Mehta of the Nagpur bench dismissed a petition filed by 23-year-old student Kirtesh Chaudhari, who had challenged the constitutional validity of the exemption under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The petitioner argued that the proviso, which exempts turban-wearing Sikhs from wearing helmets, violated Article 14 of the Constitution by granting special privileges to a particular group.

Rejecting the contention, the High Court observed that Article 14 prohibits class legislation, not reasonable classification. It said the government is empowered to create distinct classifications for different groups, provided there is a valid rationale and a legitimate public purpose.

"The exemption given to Sikhs is not on the basis of caste, creed, or religion," the bench said, adding that the classification meets constitutional requirements.

Under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, all two-wheeler riders are required to wear protective headgear. However, a proviso exempts Sikh persons who are wearing turbans from this requirement.

The Union government defended the provision during the hearing, arguing that the exemption constitutes a reasonable classification under the law.

The High Court noted that while the helmet rule was enacted to protect lives, the exemption granted to turban-wearing Sikhs does not infringe any fundamental rights and therefore cannot be held unconstitutional.