The Allahabad High Court has directed authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district not to interfere with prayers being offered inside a mosque situated within private property. The court held that there is no legal prohibition against conducting religious prayer meetings within private premises.
A division bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice Vivek Saran issued the direction while hearing a writ petition filed by Alisher, a resident of Budaun. The petitioner had approached the court seeking protection from alleged interference by authorities in the peaceful offering of namaz at Waqf Masjid Raza, which is located in a portion of his property.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner relied on a judgment delivered on January 27 by another division bench in Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries vs. State of Uttar Pradesh and others. In that decision, the High Court had observed that there is no legal restriction preventing religious prayer meetings from being held in private premises.
After examining the earlier ruling, the bench stated that it agreed with the view taken by the coordinate bench.
“Upon perusal of the said judgment, we are in consensus with the view taken by the coordinate bench and accordingly direct the respondent-authorities not to interfere in any manner with regard to the prayers being offered within the premises of the petitioners,” the court said.
The petition sought directions to restrain authorities from causing obstruction to the petitioner, his family members, and other members of the Muslim community who were offering namaz in the mosque situated within the petitioner’s private property.
The court disposed of the writ petition on February 25, granting relief to the petitioner based on the legal position clarified in the earlier January 27 judgment.
While granting relief, the bench also clarified that the police retain the authority to intervene if any law and order situation arises on public roads or public property.
The court stated that in such circumstances, the police may take appropriate action in accordance with law.
