Cops must remove illegal loudspeakers atop religious structures: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on Monday observed that the blaring noise from loudspeakers on top of religious structures is a major nuisance to those living in the vicinity and also that it ends up being a competition between the different places, with each trying to be louder than the other.

A division bench of justices VM Kanade and Revati Mohite Dhere, while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Navi Mumbai resident Santosh Pachalag, raising the issue of "illegal use of loudspeakers" on top of mosques, said, "The police will have to enforce the orders of the high court."

The court also observed that putting up loudspeakers on top of religious structures isn't a part of religious practice.

As per an affidavit filed by the Mumbai police, there are around 2,077 temples of which 95 have loudspeakers, with 90 not having proper licences for the same. Similarly, there are 1,021 mosques and 882 have loudspeakers, of which 836 are operating the same sans licence.

The court was also informed by intervener Mohammed Ali, a resident of Bandra East who is supporting the petition, that it's time "the cat was belled". This practice of having loudspeakers atop religious structures should not be allowed and the court should take a stern view and direct the police to implement its earlier order, which called for removal of illegal loudspeakers, he said.

In 2014, the high court had ordered the police in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to remove all unauthorised loudspeakers on top of religious structures.

Ali also informed the court that Islam does not permit relaying azaan on loudspeakers as it becomes a secondary voice. The call for prayer has to be given by a human without using loudspeakers; faithful Muslims do pray when it's time and it's not that people turn up at the mosque only because the azaan is given on loudspeakers, he added.

The court has now posted the matter for hearing on Tuesday.