Bombay High Court Declines Urgent Hearing Of PIL Seeking Ban On Use Of DJ, Beam Lights During Eid-e-Milad

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking a complete ban on the use of DJ and beam lights during the celebrations of the upcoming Eid-e-Milad celebrations.

Four residents of Pune City have petitioned the High Court seeking a complete ban on use of DJ and beam lights claiming that the Muslim youth cannot dance to the tunes of DJ during Eid-e-Milad as the same hurts the religious sentiments of the community.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar refused to urgently hear the matter as requested by the counsel representing the petitioners  in view of the fact that the Eid-e-Milad will be observed on Monday (September 16).

The counsel submitted, "There is already a ban on use of DJ and beam lights during Ganesh Chaturthi by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Thus, this court must consider hearing this PIL."

However, the bench seemed 'unimpressed' by the contention as the Chief Justice responded, "When NGT has banned it (DJ & beam lights) for Ganesh Chaturthi, you can go before the NGT even for this festival."

The counsel insisted the bench to hear the matter, to which, the bench said, "No urgency. Let the matter be auto-listed."

In its petition, the petitioners have sought to address the grievances that concerns at large and especially the fact that use of DJs and beam lights, hurts the feelings of the Muslims.

"It hurts the feelings of a Muslim, who truly practices Islam after observing that the Muslim youth are dancing to the tunes of DJ's sound systems/speakers those are taken out in huge numbers on the day of procession held on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad un - Nabi which is celebrated as the birthday and the revelation of prophecy upon Prophet Muhamad and on the same date in another year was also the date of demise of beloved Prophet Muhammad," the plea stated.

The petition further states that since the said day is also the day of both happiness and sorrow, it cannot be celebrated in with the use of sound of DJs which are carried on public roads.

"The use of DJs and beam lights also violates the rules set by the Noise Pollution rules further causing Noise Pollution and also violates depriving right to life. And such manner of celebrations is against the principles of Islam and against the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Thereof having a distinct script of Quran and Hadith as well as culture of Islam that gets diluted after observing the Muslim youths celebrating EID E Milad in such manner which hurts the basic morality of Islam," the plea underscored.

The matter will now be heard as per the date which the automatic system would prescribe for the same.