HC to state: Provide details of action on illegal loudspeakers

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra home department and Director General of Police (DGP) to provide details of penal actions taken against illegal loudspeakers installed at various religious and other institutions across the state.
The HC division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a contempt petition filed over alleged non-compliance with its 2016 directions against illegal installations of loudspeakers at religious sites.
The HC directed the state DGP and additional chief secretary of the home department to file affidavits on action taken for 2,940 illegal loudspeakers, which the petitioner said the state admitted in response to his query under the Right to Information Act.
The petitioner, Santosh Pachalag, filed a petition in 2014, seeking directions for removal of loudspeakers illegally installed at certain mosques in Navi Mumbai.
On Tuesday, the high court permitted the petitioner to make the present DGP and additional chief secretary of the state home department party respondents and issued notice to them, seeking their response within six weeks to the plea.
The state must provide information in a chart with district-wise data on action initiated, the HC said.
Pachalag said that in August 2016, the HC verdict was passed. He said the lack of action by authorities caused disturbance and annoyance to the public at large, specifically the elderly and sick people, students, infants, as well as birds and animals.
The court wants the authorities to disclose in the affidavits details of district-wise penal actions initiated against installation of illegal loudspeakers. The petitioner can then file a rejoinder, and the HC said it will hear the matter next after eight weeks.