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The Karnataka High Court (HC) on Tuesday, 23 August, said that playing the Azaan (Islamic call to prayer) on loudspeakers does not violate the fundamental rights of people belonging to other faiths. Hence, the court refused to order mosques to stop playing the Azaan on loudspeakers.
The court, however, directed authorities to implement “noise pollution rules” in connection to loudspeakers and file a compliance report.
A division bench headed by acting Karnataka HC Chief Justice Alok Aradhe heard a public interest litigation (PIL) by Bengaluru resident Manjunath S Halawar.
In its order, the HC said:
The court added that the right, however, is not absolute but rather is subject to restrictions on grounds of public order, morality, health, as well as other provisions in Part III of the Indian Constitution.
It further directed authorities to ensure that loudspeakers, public addresses, sound producing instruments, and other music instruments “not be permitted to be used above the permissible decibel during the night between 10 pm to 6 am.”
The high court now directed the officials to “file compliance report before this court within a period of eight weeks”.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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