The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticized a Christian Army officer who was dismissed for refusing to enter a gurdwara during a regimental ceremony, calling him a “cantankerous man” and a “misfit.”

The Court upheld the Army’s decision to remove him for failing to show respect for the faith of the Sikh soldiers under his command, reports said.

According to Bar and Bench, Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan, commissioned in 2017 and posted to a Sikh squadron, faced disciplinary action for refusing to enter the inner sanctum of religious sites during mandatory regimental parades. He argued that his refusal stemmed not only from his commitment to his Christian beliefs but also from a desire to avoid offending the religious sentiments of his troops.

The Army, however, maintained that Kamalesan persisted in his refusal even after his commanders and Christian clergy assured him that complying would not violate his religious principles. His conduct, the Army said, threatened unit cohesion and troop morale. He was dismissed from service in 2021.

In May, the Delhi High Court upheld the dismissal, noting that as a commanding officer Kamalesan bore heightened responsibilities. The Court ruled that the issue was not one of religious liberty but of obeying a lawful order.

Kamalesan then approached the Supreme Court, where a Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi on Tuesday questioned whether his refusal did not itself disrespect the religious beliefs of his subordinates.