Worship rights not attached to particular place: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking access for civilians to offer prayers inside a mosque located within a military area in Chennai, observing that the ability to practise one’s religion is not intrinsically tied to any single place of worship.

- Utkarsh Anand

SC said security considerations within military premises must rest with the armed forces.

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said that the petitioner could not insist on entry into a restricted defence zone simply because a mosque existed there, stressing that security considerations within military premises must ultimately rest with the armed forces.

“Can just one place be said to be connected to the practice of religion?” the bench asked during the hearing. “You have so many options available and that is what the high court has also said.”