Right to practice religion subject to reasonable restrictions in interest of public order: Patna HC
The Bench made the remarks while dismissing a plea seeking permission for 300 devotees to take part in an annual religious procession in Bihar's Siwan, where attendance has been restricted to maintain law and order
The Patna High Court has ruled that the right to practice and profess religion is not absolute and can be subject to reasonable restrictions for the sake of public order and societal norms. The court dismissed a plea seeking permission for 300 devotees to participate in an annual religious procession in Bihar’s Siwan district. The court stated that while the right to religion is protected under the Constitution's Articles 19(1)(b) and 25, it is not unfettered and must be balanced with the rights of others and societal norms.
The court dismissed the petitioner's concerns about future restrictions on the number of devotees, stating that any future restrictions would depend on the prevailing law and order situation at the time of seeking permission and cannot be decided based on hypothetical scenarios. The court emphasized that the constitutional protection extends only to what is essential and integral to the religious practice, not every mode or manner of its exercise.
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