Allahabad High Court Summons Bareilly DM, SSP Over Alleged Obstruction of Namaz at Private Residence

By Rajesh Pandey

The Allahabad High Court has instructed the District Magistrate (DM) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Bareilly to personally appear before the court on March 23 in connection with a case concerning allegations that a resident was prevented from offering Namaz inside his own home.

The directive was issued by a division bench comprising Atul Sreedharan and Siddhartha Nandan, while hearing a petition filed by Tarik Khan, a resident of Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh.

Contempt Proceedings Initiated

During the hearing, the court noted that earlier, on February 12, it had granted time to the legal representative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh to obtain detailed instructions regarding the matter.

At the same time, the bench had also issued notices to the Bareilly district administration and police authorities under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

The notices were issued after the petitioner alleged that the authorities had failed to comply with the High Court’s earlier ruling dated January 27, 2026, delivered in the case of Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries vs State of Uttar Pradesh and Others.

Allegation of Preventing Prayer

In his petition before the High Court, Tarik Khan claimed that officials from the local administration and police did not allow him to perform Namaz at his residence on January 16. He argued that offering prayers within the confines of one’s private property should not require prior permission from government authorities.

The petitioner maintained that the action of the officials amounted to a violation of the legal position clarified earlier by the High Court.

Reference to an Earlier Court Judgment

In its earlier decision in the Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries case, the High Court had clarified that individuals are entitled to conduct religious prayers or worship at their own private premises without seeking approval from the state authorities.

However, the court had also laid down a condition that if any religious gathering extends beyond private property and spills over onto public roads or other public spaces, the concerned organisers must inform the police and obtain any necessary permissions as required under the law.

The bench had stated that while private religious practice within one’s residence is a protected right, activities that involve public areas must comply with regulatory procedures.

Next Hearing on March 23

Taking note of the allegations that its previous directions may have been disregarded, the High Court has now asked the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police of Bareilly to be present before the court on March 23 to explain the circumstances and clarify their stand in the matter.

The case is expected to further examine whether the authorities’ actions were in violation of the court’s earlier order or justified under administrative or legal considerations.

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