ALLAHABAD HC DISMISSED PLEA SEEKING PERMISSION TO ALLOW OPENING OF MOSQUES ON EID, DIRECTS PETITIONER TO APPROACH STATE GOVERNMENT

The Allahabad HC on Wednesday (20 May 2020) dismissed a petition seeking permission to allow opening of mosques on the Occasion of Eid.

The Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddharth Verma were hearing a Petition filed by Shahid Ali, seeking a direction from the State Government to allow opening of Mosques and ‘Eidgah’ for an hour on the Occasion of Eid to allow the Muslims to offer ‘EidNamaz’.

The Petitioner also sought permission for opening of mosques for an hour on Friday to offer Friday Prayers to Muslims. The Petitioner submitted that according to rituals, EidNamaz and Friday Prayers are offered in congregation, and this condition will not be fulfilled if the Prayers offered at home.

The Bench dismissed the Petition. Further the Bench also clarified that State Government rejects the representation, then the Petitioner will be at liberty to approach the HC.

Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Government has closed all the religious institutions and also all the religious gatherings have been prohibited to contain the further spread of COVID-19.

By Shubhi Singhal of Law College Dehradun