Mumbai mosques allege bias as loudspeakers removed, court issues notice to police
The bench comprising Justices Ravindra V Ghuge and M M Sathaye directed the Mumbai Police to file an affidavit along with relevant records by the next hearing scheduled for July 9.The court action comes in the backdrop of growing concerns among sections of the Muslim community following a series of loudspeaker removals from mosques. Last week, a delegation of Muslim leaders met with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, raising concerns that mosque committees were being harassed despite complying with court-mandated noise norms.advertisementThe leaders pointed out that loudspeakers were being removed on the basis of complaints allegedly instigated by a BJP leader's campaign. Pawar is reported to have assured the delegation that no wrongful actions would be taken by the police.Amid these developments, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar on June 28 stated that the city police had completed a comprehensive crackdown on loudspeakers installed at all religious places. He declared that Mumbai was now "loudspeaker-free from all religious structures" and rejected allegations of selective targeting of any one community.According to existing regulations, the permissible noise level for loudspeakers is capped at 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night, with a complete ban between 10 pm and 6 am. While the police claim uniform enforcement, the petitioners and community leaders argue that the manner of implementation has not been even-handed.The upcoming hearing on July 9 is expected to bring clarity on the legality and uniformity of the police action, particularly in the context of religious freedom and administrative overreach.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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