The Chhattisgarh High Court has said that individuals do not require prior permission from authorities to conduct religious prayers or meetings within their private dwellings, provided such gatherings do not violate existing laws.
The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Badri Prasad Sahu and Rajkumar Sahu, both residents of Janjgir-Champa district, challenging notices issued to them by the local police, refraining them from holding Christian prayer meetings at their residence.
NOC withdrawn
The petitioners told the court that they have been organising prayer meetings for believers of Christianity since 2016 in a hall constructed on the first floor of their house in their village of Godhna. They alleged that the station house officer (SHO) of Nawagarh was harassing them by serving notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. They also submitted that the Godhna grama panchayat, under pressure, withdrew the no objection certificate it had earlier issued for organising prayer meetings.
Opposing this, the State’s counsel argued that the police issued the notices as the petitioners had not sought prior permission to organise religious gatherings in their house. The State also argued that the petitioners had criminal cases registered against them and was also remained in jail, even as the counsel sought more time to file reply.
