Bombay HC denies permission for mass prayers

The Bombay High Court has denied permission for people to offer namaz at a mosque in south Mumbai during Ramadan.  Covid-19 said the situation was serious and serious and the security of the citizens was high. A vacation bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and VG Bisht opined that the Maharashtra government should impose restrictions on cracking down on the corona virus transmission network.

The right to celebrate or follow a religious practice is important, but more important is the public order and the safety of the citizens," the court said. It was considering a petition filed by the Juma Masjid Mosque Trust seeking permission for members of the Muslim community to pray five times a day at a mosque in south Mumbai.

The applicant said the church is spread over an acre and can accommodate up to 7,000 people at a time. However, in view of the Covid-19 situation, only 50 people will be allowed to pray during Ramadan and all security precautions will be taken, the report said. Additional Government Pleader Jyoti Chavan, appearing for the Maharashtra government, opposed the application.  He said the situation in Mumbai and Maharashtra was worrying. 

No religion, especially during these 15 days, we can avoid.  We cannot take a risk at this stage and all citizens must cooperate,”Chavan said. They said that the government does not forbid a person / person from practicing their religion but they should do it in their homes.  The court dismissed the petition, saying that the petitioner's request could not be considered in view of the Covid-19 situation. "In our view, the restrictions imposed by the state government are the Covid-19 situation. 

Given the current situation and basic reality in Maharashtra, we cannot allow the applicant to pray in a mosque," the High Court said. According to the report, the government's control order is in the public interest and for the safety of all Maharashtra residents. The bench observed that several courts across the country had denied permission to several other denominations due to the COVID-19 epidemic. 

Under the unprecedented wave of COVID-19, the Maharashtra government has announced strict restrictions on public movement across the state in the next 15 days. As part of the restrictions, all religious places and malls will be closed. The restrictions, which exclude essential services, will take effect from 8pm on Wednesday and 7am on May 1st. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC), which prohibits the gathering of five or more people in one place, will come into force during this period.