The Gujarat High Court today has sought the state government’s reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking ban on the use of loudspeakers for reciting ‘Azaan’ (call to prayer) in mosques.
The division bench of Acting Chief Justice A J Desai & Justice Biren Vaishnav on Monday allowed Shaktisinh Zala, a Bajrang Dal leader, to join the PIL after the original petitioner Dharmendra Prajapati sought to withdraw it citing threats.
Zala’s lawyer urged the court to allow him to join the litigation in the absence of the original petitioner. The court listed matter on April 12 while directing the government to file a reply.
Therefore the PIL has sought a ban on the use of loudspeakers for ‘Azaan’ at mosques in Gujarat claiming that they add to noise pollution & violate the fundamental rights of citizens.
The petitioner stated a muezzin at a mosque in his neighborhood uses a loudspeaker to recite ‘Azaan’ five times a day, causing “great inconvenience”.
