‘Loudspeakers not essential to religion’: Bombay HC orders action against decibel limit violations

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to implement a mechanism to control decibel levels of public address systems used at places of worship or institutions, The Indian Express reported.

The court observed that the use of loudspeakers is not intrinsic to any religion.

“Noise is a major health hazard in various aspects,” The Times of India quoted a bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Shyam C Chandak as saying.

The bench added: “No one can claim that his rights are affected in any manner if he is denied permission to use a loudspeaker. It is in public interest that such permissions should not be granted… Use of loudspeakers is not an essential part of any religion.”

The court urged the government to issue directives for calibrating and automatically fixing decibel limits for loudspeakers or public address systems at places of worship and ordered the Mumbai Police to take strict action against violators.

The directives were issued on a plea by the Jaago Nehru Nagar Residents Welfare Association and the Shivsrushti Cooperative Housing Societies Association from the city’s Kurla area. The groups had alleged that the police had failed to act against mosques in Nehru Nagar and Chunabhatti using loudspeakers and amplifiers beyond permitted hours and within decibel limits, The Times of India reported.

The bench cited the High…

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