Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) | The Inspector General of Police of Prayagraj has asked the District Magistrate to ensure that the use of loudspeakers is prohibited between 10 am and 6 am. The complaint was filed by Allahabad University Vice-Chancellor Sangeeta Srivastava and demanded a ban on the use of loudspeakers in mosques at dawn. Only after this IG has taken this step. Use of loudspeakers in public places will also come under this ban.
In a letter to the District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents of Police of the 4 districts under the Prayagraj range, IG P.P. Singh has said that the authorities should implement the orders of the Supreme Court and Allahabad High Court. The letter instructs district magistrates and police chiefs to ban the use of loudspeakers between 10 am and 6 am.
Professor Sangeeta Srivastava had said in her complaint that she is ‘forced to wake up every day ahead of her time due to the ‘azaan’ spoken on the loudspeaker. This causes pain in their head and affects their work. Sangeeta Shrivastava sent this complaint to District Collector Bhanu Chandra Goswami on 3 March.
Significantly, in January 2020, the Allahabad High Court ruled that no religion advocates the use of loudspeakers for worship. In this case, the petitioner challenged the administrative order of the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh which banned the use of loudspeakers for Ajan.
This order of the court was also cited by Prof. Sangita Srivastava in his letter.
