Holding that wearing salwar kameez or churidar with duppattas could not be considered indecent, the Madras High Court has directed a private homeopathic college not to insist women internees to only wear saree for one year before receiving the degree.

In his direction on a petition filed by V Kamalam, an internee who was not permitted to attend classes since November last for refusing to wear a saree during internship, Justice K Venkataraman said the college could not insist on a particular dress code in the absence of rules and regulations.

"No such rule or regulation has been cited before me to show that girl internees should wear only sarees at the time of internship. Even the prospectus does not reveal any such dress code," the Judge pointed out in his order.

He said in the absence of such rules and regulations, the college "cannot insist that the petitioner wear only saree and not salwar kameez with duppatta and churidar, which are considered to be well decent dresses."

The insistence of the Venkateswara Homeopathic Medical College that only sarees should be worn "is nothing but irrational and without any basis".

According to the dress code, all female internees are required to wear sarees and male internees formal pants and shirt during the one year compulsory rotatory resident internship.

Kamalam had informed the college that she found it difficult to wear a saree.