No law prohibits prayer meet inside home, no prior permission required: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court recently observed that no law prevents a person from holding a prayer meeting inside their home [Badri Prasad Sahu and Another v State of Chhattisgarh and Others].

Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi was dealing with a plea challenging police notices asking two residents in Janjgir-Champa to refrain from organising a Christian prayer meetings inside their house.

The Court noted that the petitioners are registered owners of the property and thus cannot be prevented from holding the prayer meetings.

"There is no such law restraining any persons to organize prayer/ prayer meeting in their dwelling house. Further, there is no need to get prior permission from any authority for conducting prayer / prayer meeting, if the same is organized without violating any law," the Court said.

It added that if there is any noise pollution or if a law and order situation arises, the authorities can always take the necessary action under the relevant laws.

Thus, the Court directed the police authorities not to interfere with the civil rights of the petitioners and not harass them under the guise of any enquiry.

The petitioners earlier submitted that they had constructed a hall on the first floor of their house to organise prayer meetings.

The Court was told that the police were harassing them by issuing notices and that even the Gram Panchayat had withdrawn the a "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) issued to them earlier.

In response, the State said there are criminal cases against the petitioners and that they had never sought any prior permission for holding the prayer meetings. The State counsel sought time to file a formal response to the plea.

However, the Court said the grievance was limited and thus declined to grant time to the State for filing any reply.

Finding that there was no legal requirement for seeking any such legal permission, the Court quashed the notices issued by the police.

Advocate Pritam Singh represented the petitioners.

Deputy Government Advocate Shobhit Mishra represented the State.

[Read Judgment]