Supreme Court to Hear Mosque Slogan Case in 2025

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for January 2025 on an appeal against a Karnataka High Court ruling that shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' in a mosque doesn't constitute religious offense. The court will consider whether such actions incite religious discord under Section 153A of the IPC.

The Supreme Court, on Monday, announced it will hear an appeal in January 2025 that challenges a Karnataka High Court decision dismissing claims that chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' within a mosque amount to religious offense.

A bench consisting of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Sandeep Mehta requested the complainant, who had filed the appeal, to provide a copy of the petition to the state of Karnataka, questioning how chanting a religious slogan could be deemed an offense.

Senior advocate Devdatt Kamat, representing the complainant, argued that chanting religious slogans inside places of worship of other faiths could incite communal tensions under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code. The bench queried if CCTV or other evidence had been examined to identify the accused involved.

The bench asked how the accused were identified, whether CCTV footage was reviewed for confirmation, and instructed the complainant, Haydhar Ali CM, to deliver the petition copy to Karnataka's counsel, choosing not to issue a formal notice at this stage.

On September 13, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the criminal charges against two men who were accused of disrupting others' religious sentiments in Dakshin Kannada district by entering a mosque and shouting 'Jai Shri Ram.' The case now escalates to the Supreme Court questioning the High Court's interpretation.

(With inputs from agencies.)