The Allahabad High Court on Friday, 15 May allowed 'azaan' from mosques but said that the use of loudspeakers could not be permitted. The court said that 'azaan' was a part of Islam but using loudspeakers were not a part of the religion.
The bench comprising Justice Shashikant Gupta and Justice Ajit Kumar gave this ruling on separate petitions field by BSP MP Afzal Ansari and Syed Mohd Faizal of Farrukhabad.
The court said that using loudspeakers for ‘azaan’ was an infringement on the rights of others since it disturbed their sleep. The rights of one person must not infringe on the rights of others, the court observed.
The court allowed the 'muezzin' of the mosques to hold 'azaan' without loudspeakers. The court also asked the chief secretary to inform all district magistrates of the order accordingly.
It may be recalled that the district administration of Ghazipur had banned the use of loudspeakers for 'azaan' and BSP MP Afzal Ansari had written to the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Govind Mathura in this regard.
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