High Court Seeks Delhi Govt's Stand On Plea Seeking Appointment Of Authority For Granting License To Play Sound Systems In Public Functions

The Delhi High Court has sought Delhi Government's stand on a petition seeking appointment of an authority for the purpose of granting license to persons/ companies involved in playing sound system at public functions/ events, within permissible limits under the Noise Pollution (Regulations and Control) Act, 2000.

Justice Rekha Palli, while posting the matter to November 7, asked the counsel appearing for Delhi Government to seek instructions on the petition.

The plea filed by All Delhi Sound and Light Association, claiming to have 300 members involved in the business of marriage programs, live events etc, also seeks directions on Delhi Government to frame guidelines or rules adopting a standard measurement of production of sound systems.

Filed through Advocate Rajan Chaudhary, Ravleen Kaur, Hari Om Sharma and Gaurav Verma, the plea states that there is no clarity on the existing rules and that no official has been appointed by the Delhi Government for granting any license to play such sound systems at public places.

"That the police officials in their regular course of their businesses or upon anonymous Complaints of any individual or suo-motto interrupt even during the daytime, when the petitioners are doing their business and performances legally and seizes the articles like sound system, Loud Speakers, Amplifiers and musical Instruments etc. and the same is released after several months," the plea states.

It further states that there are no proper places in the Police Station to receive such articles and deposit them and that the police does not release the articles despite payment of Fine.

"That the police personals who raids the area, doesn't have any standard equipment to measure the sound or they never adopt any standard process of measurement of sound and to determine the fact that whether the same is under permissible limits or not and therefore they end up in seizing the articles abruptly and put those articles unattended in Malkhana's, which is not properly maintained by them, therefore there is a need arose for the executives or for the Government to appoint the Nodal officer or Authority having power to grant license /permission for playing the Sound Systems/ Loud Speakers/ Installed for Public address system at public places," it plea reads.

In view thereof, it has been submitted that in the absence of any guidelines or any Authority as defined under the Rules of 2000, the police officials act "as per their whims and francs causing huge loss to the Petitioner association and its members and other persons related to this business."

Case Title: All Delhi Sound and Light Association v. GNCTD & Ors.