The Chhattisgarh High Court has ruled that individuals do not need prior permission to hold religious prayer meetings in their homes if no law is violated. The court directed state authorities and police to avoid interference with such gatherings and to respect civil rights.
The case arose from a petition filed by residents of Godhna village in JanjgirChampa district. The petitioners, who follow Christianity, said they had been holding prayer meetings at their residence since 2016. They alleged that local police and the gram panchayat interfered with their gatherings and issued notices to stop them. The Nawagarh police served notices on three occasions. The gram panchayat also withdrew a no objection certificate earlier issued for the meetings. These actions violated their rights under Article 19 of the Constitution, argued the petitioners.
During the hearing, the state sought more time and argued that no permission had been taken for the meetings. The court examined the legality of the notices.
Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi quashed the notices issued by the police. The court stated that there is no law requiring prior approval for prayer meetings held at home when no legal provisions are breached. It directed authorities not to harass the petitioners under any pretext.
The ruling reinforces the protection of religious practice within private spaces and places responsibility on authorities to act within legal limits.