Portland, Ore: The states election division has a strange Jaw that requires voters to take off their hats to photograph themselves for inclusion in the voters Stranger still is its interpretation by the attorney general that a Sikhs purge amounts to wearing hat.
Thus a mayoral candidate, Sardar Singh Khalsa, who cannot take off his pugree in terms of Sikh tenets is not included in the voters “guide” with his pugree on, Khalsa argues that his program cannot be deemed hat and that he cannot violate the principles of his religion by having himself photographed without his religious symbol.
Election director Colleen Sea lock says she is helpless in view of attorney generals advice that very clearly fits the definition of a hat.”
World Sikh Organization President Gurcharan Singh Dhillon says the episode is a serious matter and that he has plan to take it up with appropriate authorities.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1992
