Prayagraj, March 15 The Allahabad High Court has directed the district administration in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, not to interfere with prayers being offered in a mosque located within a private property.
Issuing the directive, a bench comprising Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Vivek Saran agreed with a recent view taken by a similar bench that there is no legal prohibition against conducting a religious prayer meeting in private premises.
"Having reviewed the judgment, we concur with the view taken by the coordinating 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 order was passed on a petition filed by Alisher of Badaun seeking directions to restrain authorities from causing any interference or obstruction in the peaceful offering of namaz (prayer) by the petitioner, his family members, and other members of the Muslim community in the mosque – Waqf Masjid Raza – which is located on a portion of his property.
The counsel representing the petitioners had earlier cited the judgment delivered by a division bench on January 27 in the case of Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries vs. State of Uttar Pradesh and others.
While disposing of the writ petition, the court on February 25 granted relief to the petitioner based on the January 27 ruling, and also clarified that if any law and order situation arises on a public road or public property, the police may take adequate action in accordance with law.