Men will not be spared from wearing the obligatory jacket and tie in court, despite the hot summer heat.

The government envisages no changes to the legal notice stipulating the strict dress code, with a Justice Ministry spokesman saying proper attire helps ensure the court is treated with dignity.

The spokesman was reacting to questions on a man’s plea to relax the “archaic” rules during summer. (See letters page 25)

“The court is one of the major pillars of any democracy and, as such, deserves respect from those attending sittings presided over by judges and magistrates. Such respect is also portrayed by proper attire in court halls. Men are expected to wear a jacket and tie,” he said.

Legal Notice 279 of 2008 deals with the dress code at the Law Courts and includes other provisions, such as prohibiting smoking and photography inside the court building and using mobile phones in court.

Although the rules do not specify what the attire must be, the spokesman believes the public is “well aware” of the definition of decent attire.

He pointed out that all court halls are air-conditioned and wearing a jacket and tie “will not cause undue hardship on anyone”.

“The Law Courts are to be treated with dignity and proper attire is one way in ensuring that this dignity is forthcoming.”