MUMBAI: The public interest litigation (PIL) seeking permission for 24 mosques in the city to use loudspeakers during azaan – the state government told the Bombay high court on Thursday that it was not maintainable – contends that the forceful removal of loudspeakers constitutes a “human rights violation” and may lead to law and order problems in future.
Endorsed by 22,900 signatories including senior citizens, women and youth, it makes several points about why the issue is of “grave public concern”.
The petition, of which Hindustan Times has a copy, was filed on July 4, 2025 by the Hazrat Khwaja Garib Nawaz Welfare Association through its general secretary Mohammed Yusuf Umar Ansari. It seeks to protect and preserve the security of mosques, dargahs, temples, churches and gurudwaras with respect to use of loudspeakers.
Threat to peace
The petition alleges that the principal secretary of the state home department, acting under instructions from political leaders, have removed loudspeakers from the 24 mosques spread across Malad, Worli, Lower Parel, Wadala, Govandi and Mankhurd. Cases have also been filed against trustees, maulanas (clerics) and muezzins of the 24 mosques, it notes.
“Some leaders from the right-wing are making inflammatory statements against Islam and Muslims and some anti-social elements have started disturbing the peace in the state,” it says. “There is an apprehension that fringe antisocial elements may create anarchy…which might lead to stopping government authorities from performing their duties.”
Noise level, azaan duration
The azaan, a call for congregation at the mosque to offer Namaz, is “a matter of religion and faith going on for years together,” the PIL says. Its transmission via loudspeakers does not cross the permissible noise levels, it notes. For reference, it cites World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, which categorise sounds above 65 decibel (dB) as noise pollution. It also cites the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which categorise areas into industrial, commercial, residential, and silence zones, with permissible noise levels ranging 40-75 dB.
The azaan lasts for only for about three minutes and its transmission, unaccompanied by any instruments or other sound, is hardly enough to qualify as noise pollution and cause health hazards, the PIL states. It references a 2023 Gujarat high court order in Dharmendra Vishnubhai Prajapati Vs State of Gujarat, wherein the court had observed, “It is pertinent to note that use of loudspeakers in mosques for azaan, though five times a day, is only for 10 minutes or less at a stretch. We fail to understand as to how the human voice making azaan through loudspeakers in the morning, evening or any other hour of day…could meet the high decibel level.”
Prayer for intervention
The PIL says though several complaints and applications were filed with the state police and the principal secretary of the home department between June 2024 to June 2025 regarding allowing loudspeakers within permissible sound levels at the 24 mosques and harassment of their officials, there was no relief.
The PIL requests the court to intervene in the matter to permit the use of loudspeakers within noise limits, direct authorities not to harass the mosque officials, and take action against political leaders over hate speeches and inflammatory comments.
“Preserve the sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic nation and maintain fraternity now, as the destruction threat of few organisations and few political leaders may target the mosques and dargahs in near future,” the PIL said.