ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT DECLINES REQUEST OF MOSQUES TO INSTALL LOUDSPEAKERS

The Allahabad High Court has recently passed an Order dated 09-01-2020 in Masroor Ahmad and Another vs State of U.P. and others, thereby declining to grant permission to two mosques to install loudspeakers, for the purpose of Azaan for Namaz on the ground that use of amplifiers, and sound equipments would cause aggravation of tension between Hindus and Muslims residing in the same area, which would lead to disturbance in peace, law and order.

In this case, although permission for the installation of Loudspeaker/ Amplifier/ Sound Producing/Music equipment was taken from the concerned authority under Rule 5 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. But the Allahabad High Court held that no religion preaches that prayers are required to be performed through loud speakers, voice amplifiers or by beating of drums. Thus, the High Court refused to lift the ban on use of unauthorized loudspeakers and amplifiers in a mosque in a village in Uttar Pradesh, imposed by Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Shahganj, District Jaunpur, on the ground that it may cause social imbalance.

It is believed by various experts that the High Court has set a good precedent by rejecting such frivolous petitions, as the loud speakers were invented in late nineteenth century and thus, it would be incomprehensible to claim the use of loudspeaker as an essential religious practice.

Riya Goyal

4^th Year, Galgotias University

Intern, The Indian Lawyer

With

Harini Daliparthy,

Senior Legal Associate, The Indian Lawyer