Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court declined the permission sought by two mosques to install loudspeakers, for the purposes of Azaan. The court stated that no religion prescribes the use of loudspeakers for worshipping.
The petitioners, Masroor Ahmad and Another, argued that Azaan is an essential part of their religious practice and it has become necessary with increasing population to give call for prayer to the people on amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Declining the argument, the court held, "It is true that one can practice, profess and propogate religion as guaranteed under Article 25(1) of the Constitution of India but the said right is not an absolute right. The right under Article 25 is a subject to the wider article 19 (1) (a) of the constitution and thus both of them have to be read together and construed harmoniously."