Madras HC issues notice on PIL over friday prayers on road in Coimbatore
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Chennai: The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Hidayathul Muslimin Sunnath Jamath in Thudiyalur, Coimbatore district, following a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the use of a public road for Friday prayers.
The notice, returnable by June 11, was issued by a special summer vacation bench comprising Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy and Justice T.V. Thamilselvi. The court also acknowledged a submission from Additional Advocate General (AAG) M.S. Suresh Kumar, representing the Coimbatore District Collector, who stated that no obstruction had occurred on the road since April 18, 2025.
The Additional Advocate General (AAG) informed the court that revenue officials had held peace committee meetings with local stakeholders and were continuously monitoring the situation.
Backing the administration’s position, Special Government Pleader for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, N.R.R. Arun Natarajan, stated that the prayer gatherings had not caused disruptions to nearby temples.
The PIL was filed by S. Vijesh, an employee at Lakshmi Mills Works in Nilambur. Represented by advocate C.K. Chandrasekhar, the petitioner contended that local residents faced significant inconvenience as the Friday afternoon prayers, held from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., spilt onto the adjacent public road due to limited space within the mosque premises.
The petitioner alleged that this spillover blocked access to two nearby temples and created traffic congestion due to the haphazard parking of vehicles by attendees. He contended that such obstruction of a public road posed a risk to public safety, particularly in emergencies when access for emergency services could be impeded.
During the hearing, Justice Ramamoorthy observed, “Ultimately, we are a multi-religious country. So, reasonable accommodation must be extended by people of every faith.” However, noting the need to hear the Jamath’s response, the court issued notice and adjourned the matter for further hearing after two weeks.
(inputs from IANS)