Approach Government with Eid Namaz plea: High Court

On Wednesday, the High Court of Allahabad disposed of a PIL seeking opening of mosque/idgah in Uttar Pradesh for offering Eid namaz for one hour, saying that the petitioner must approach the state government first in this regard.

The HC said that on denial of the relief claimed or any unusual delay in considering the same, the petitioner shall be at liberty to approach HC by invoking the writ jurisdiction.

In this Public Interest Litigation, the petitioner, Shahid Ali Siddiqui, an HC Advocate had requested the Court to direct the State Govt. to open mosque/idgah situated in Uttar Pradesh state for offering jamaat/namaz of Eid-ul-Fitr & ‘dua ‘in congregation for one hour (from 9:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m) & future Juma namaz till June, 2020.

Disposing of the plea, a bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddhartha Varma observed, “It does not appear that the petitioner before approaching this court had made any demand to the state government for redressal of the grievance. It is well settled that a party seeking writ in the nature of mandamus must first approach to the authority competent for redressal of the grievance. In view of it, we are not inclined to interfere in the matter at this stage.” 

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