C’garh: No Prior Permission Needed To Hold Prayer Meeting At Home Without Violating Law, C’garh HC Rules
“There is no such law restraining any person from organizing prayer/ prayer meetings in their dwelling house": The Chhattisgarh high court
RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court has held that no permission is needed to hold prayer meetings at home, provided law is not violated.
Delivering the judgment in a case related to police notices issued to two residents in Janjgir- Champa in Chhattisgarh refraining from organizing Christian prayer meetings inside their house, the single bench of Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi observed that they are the registered owners of the property and thus cannot be prevented from holding prayer meetings.
“There is no such law restraining any person from organizing prayer/ prayer meetings in their dwelling house. Further, there is no need to get prior permission from any authority for conducting prayer/ prayer meeting, if the same is organized without violating law”, the court ruled.
The court however observed that if there is any noise pollution or if a law-and-order situation arises, the authorities can always take necessary action under the law.
The petitioners had earlier submitted that they had constructed a hall on the first floor of the house to hold prayer meetings.
They accused the police of harassing them.
In response, the state however said that the petitioners have criminal cases pending against them and they had not sought prior permission to hold prayer meetings.
While dismissing the state’s plea for time to file a formal response to the plea, the court held that the grievance is limited and quashed the police notices.
