Madras HC: Nod needed from authorities to turn house into prayer hall

CHENNAI: Madras HC Monday clarified that a house cannot be converted into a prayer hall without obtaining necessary permission from the authorities.

The issue pertained to a police complaint against regular prayers being conducted from a house which prompted a pastor conducting this religious activity to move court.

Hearing the plea, Justice N Anand Venkatesh also rejected an undertaking given by petitioner, pastor L Joseph Wilson, that the house prayer would be conducted peacefully without using any loudspeakers. HC noted that merely not using a microphone and loudspeaker would not resolve the issue, and what was needed was proper permission from authorities.

Petitioner Wilson submitted that he had been running a trust, 'Word of God Ministries Trust', established in 2007. He claimed the house, in Tiruvarur district, was purchased in 2023 and regular prayer meets have been held there ever since.

An inquiry by police revealed Wilson's application to build a church and a plan approval for same was rejected by Tiruvarur district collector.


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