New York: In a significant judgement, a US court has asked the New York Police Department (NYPD) to reinstate a Sikh traffic policeman, who quit after he was barred from wearing turban while on duty, and allowed him to wear the religious headgear.

Jasjit Singh Jaggi, a traffic officer, was "discriminated against based on his religious beliefs" and should be reinstated, as well as allowed to wear a turban and grow his beard, Administrative Law Judge Donna Merris ruled yesterday (April 29, 2004).

The judgement, which could be first step in allowing Sikhs and employees of other religions to wear their religious articles while at work, came in a case filed by Jaggi last year with the city Commission of Human Rights, accusing the NYPD of religious discrimination.

Jaggi filed the complaint on June 19, 2002, after he was informed by the Department that he had to remove his turban and trim his beard or face severe consequences including removal from his job.

His efforts to convince the Department by offering to wear a white turban, the same colour as the hat the city's traffic officers wear, with a badge on it was turned down.

Reacting to the judgement, the New York Police Department said it hoped to convince the Human Rights Commission that every employee should wear an eight-point hat.

The police department in its argument had said that sporting a religious headgear would hamper work. "He would not be recognised as a traffic agent and he could not put on a gas mask or an escape hood in an emergency," it had said.