The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court refused to grant relief to a mosque seeking permission to use loudspeakers, noting it was not entitled to use the device to practise religion as a matter of right.

The court, while relying on Supreme Court judgments, said that no religion mandates prayers to be offered through voice amplifiers or beating drums.

A Bench of Justices Anil Pansare and Raj Wakode said that the issue of noise pollution was recurring and took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the same and asked the Maharashtra government to come up with an effective solution.

The court, in an order dated December 1, dismissed a petition filed by Masjid Gousiya in Gondia district seeking permission to use loudspeakers to offer prayers.

The Bench noted that the petitioner was unable

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