HC seeks UP govt reply on plea to allow Bakrid namaz near Kushinagar Eidgah

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court on Wednesday directed state govt to file a counter affidavit on a writ petition seeking permission to offer namaz on Bakrid on land adjacent to an Eidgah in Hata Nagar Parishad area of Kushinagar district.

A division bench of Justice Saral Srivastava and Justice Garima Prashad passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Kushinagar residents Wajid Ali and two others. The court, however, declined to grant interim relief at this stage and fixed May 21 as the next date of hearing.

Counsel for the petitioners submitted that the district magistrate is duty-bound to grant the required permission and argued that offering namaz is a fundamental right protected under Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.