Worship Rights Not Attached to a Particular Place: Supreme Court’s Significant Clarification
The Supreme Court of India has reiterated a crucial constitutional principle: the right to practise religion does not guarantee access to any specific place of worship , especially when such places fall within restricted or sensitive zones , including defence establishments. This ruling came as the Court dismissed a plea seeking civilian access to a mosque located inside a military area in Chennai. Background: Mosques Inside Defence Land and Restricted Access The dispute centered around Masjid-E-Aalishaan , a mosque situated within the Usman Lane Military Quarters in Chennai . The petitioner argued that civilians were historically allowed to offer prayers there between 1877 and 2002 , and restrictions were imposed only during the Covid-19 period. The military authorities, however, denied access, stating that the mosque lies inside a restricted defence zone where entry is governed by security protocols . The petitioner challenged this denial before the Madras High Court, which di...