Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government and the city police about the measures taken on a plea which sought a ban on loudspeakers atop religious structures in the national Capital.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Delhi Police to place before it the standing order, which they have claimed to have issued, in connection with the usage of loudspeakers at religious places.
The court also directed the authorities to file an affidavit on or before April 18, explaining the steps they have taken to publicise the order. The bench said that publicity is important as people have to know the norms and consequences in case of any violation.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by activist Sanjiv Kumar seeking directions to the authorities to remove loudspeakers atop any religious structures, saying they violated citizens' rights, including those of minors and elderly people. The petition states that the use of loudspeakers takes away the right of the citizens to speak with others, their right to read or think or the right to sleep.
Kumar, in his plea, has further claimed that loudspeakers were never part of any religion as the instrument came into existence only in 1924. He further claimed that loudspeakers were never part of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism or Zoroastrianism. The plea also posed the questions that if loudspeakers were not mounted atop the religious structures, then will that make people visiting there less religious.
"Does it mean that those religious structures not having loudspeakers atop were less religious or those who go there were less religious or "Religion khatre mein pad gaya tha" or "log dukhi hoke sanyas pe chale gaye the," the plea added.
THE PLEA
- The court was hearing a PIL filed by Sanjiv Kumar seeking directions to remove loudspeakers atop religious structures, as they violate citizens’ rights, including those of minors and elderly people
