No religion prescribes use of loudspeaker for worship: HC
While observing that no religion prescribed the use of loudspeakers for worship, Allahabad high court on Tuesday declined to quash order of Jaunpur district administration by which it had denied use of loudspeaker for the purpose of ‘azan’ in two mosques of village Baddopur in Shahganj area of Jaunpur.
Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice VC Dixit, while dismissing the petition filed by Jaunpur-resident Masroor Ahmad said, “The petitioners have been refused permission to use sound amplifying system at the mosque not only for the inherent reason of noise pollution but in order to maintain peace and tranquility in the area.”
The court also raised the issue of noise pollution and ignorance of the public in this regard.
It observed, “People in India do not realise that noise in itself is a sort of pollution. They are not even fully conscious about its ill effect on health, though some concern is being shown to it in recent past.”
In March last year, the petitioner had moved an application seeking permission to use loudspeakers on two mosques. However, circle officer, Shahganj after spot inspection submitted in his report that the area had a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims and if any party was allowed to use sound amplifiers, the tension between two groups could escalate and disturb the peace in the area.
Later, SDM, Jaunpur, denied permission/renewal of the license to use amplifiers and loudspeakers on the ground that such use of sound equipment is likely to cause animosity between the two religious groups of the village creating law and order situation as the area had mixed population.