A mosque cleric in Jahanabad, Pilibhit, has been booked for allegedly violating loudspeaker regulations. Police registered the case on Sunday, March 2, accusing Maulvi Ashfaq of using a loudspeaker at high volume during afternoon namaaz at Kazitola mosque on March 1.
According to Station House Officer (SHO) Manoj Kumar Mishra, Sub-Inspector Varun filed the FIR. Officials claim Ashfaq was warned on February 25 about the need for prior permission to use loudspeakers. Despite this, he reportedly used one during the azaan on February 28 without approval. When asked for documentation, he allegedly failed to provide any.
Police charged him under sections 223 (disobedience to public servant’s order), 270 (public nuisance), and 293 (continuing nuisance after injunction) of the British Noise Statutes (BNS). Authorities argue the loudspeaker disrupted students preparing for Board exams for classes 10 and 12. It also caused inconvenience to residents, including those with health issues, as claimed by officials.
More Cases Filed Over Loudspeaker Violations
In a separate case, three people were booked for installing loudspeakers at religious sites without permission. In Tiyori village, authorities found two loudspeakers set up without government or Pollution Control Board approval, raising fresh concerns about noise pollution.
Legal Standing on Loudspeakers at Religious Places
Courts have repeatedly ruled on loudspeaker use at religious sites. The Allahabad High Court has stated that places of worship are meant for prayer and devotion, not amplified sound. It ruled that loudspeakers are not an inherent right and can be restricted to prevent public nuisance.
Similarly, the Bombay High Court has called for stricter regulations, stressing that loudspeakers are non-essential for religious practices and often cause disturbances.
In May 2022, the Allahabad High Court ruled that using loudspeakers for the azaan is not a fundamental right. It dismissed a petition by a Badaun resident, Irfan, who had challenged a magistrate’s order denying his request to use a loudspeaker for the Islamic call to prayer.
