Madhya Pradesh High Court: In a writ petition filed by a Christian resident of Village Gadwada, District Jhabua seeking quashment of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Meghnagar’s order revoking permission to organize a New Year prayer meeting, a single-judge bench of Subodh Abhyankar, J., upheld the petitioner’s fundamental rights to pray and permitted the petitioner to hold the prayer meeting as per the earlier granted permission.
In the instant matter, the petitioner made an application before the SDM seeking permission to organize a New Year prayer meeting. The application was submitted on 12-12-2024 and permission was granted on 19-12-2024, with certain conditions. Subsequently, on 28-12-2024, the SDM revoked the permission citing objections from Vishva Hindu Parishad, Malwa Region, alleging the event might disrupt communal harmony. The petitioner was neither informed nor granted an opportunity to be heard before this revocation.
The petitioner argued that the annual prayer meeting had been conducted peacefully in prior years, including 2023, and the revocation violated his fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles , , , , and of the . The petitioner filed the present writ petition seeking the quashment the SDM’s order and requested police protection for the event.
The petitioner contended that the annual prayer meeting has been conducted peacefully in prior years without communal disruptions. It was stated that the order was passed without affording the petitioner an opportunity of being heard, violating the principles of natural justice. It was argued that the revocation was arbitrary and solely based on objections from members of another community. However, the State contended that the SDM’s decision was based on apprehensions of disruption to communal harmony and was not illegal.
The Court noted that the petitioner had been conducting similar programs for years without disrupting communal harmony. The Court observed that the petitioner’s right to organize and participate in a religious event is protected under Article of the and merely based on certain objections raised by the member of one community it cannot be denied. The Court held that the petitioner was deprived of his valuable right to be heard before passing of an adverse order against him.
The Court deemed the SDM’s order as arbitrary as it was based solely on objections from a third party and passed without granting the petitioner an opportunity of being heard, violating the principles of natural justice.
The Court quashed the SDM’s order dated 28-12-2024, revoking the permission. The Court allowed the petitioner was permitted to hold the prayer meeting as previously authorized on 19-12-2024. The Court directed the Collector, Jhabua, to ensure that the event is conducted peacefully without disruption.
[Vijay Katara v. Principal Secretary, Writ Petition No. 41978 of 2024, Decided on 01-01-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
Shri Rajesh Joshi, Counsel for the Petitioner
Shri Mayank Mishra, P.L./G.A., Counsel for the Respondents/State
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