The division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Harinder Singh Sidhu issued the order (Representative)
The Punjab and Haryana high court has banned the use on loudspeakers in public places, including religious bodies. The court has said that public address systems can only be used with prior permission, and the noise level should never exceed the permissible limit.
"The States of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory, Chandigarh are directed to ensure that no loudspeaker or public address system shall be used by any person including religious bodies in Temples, Mosques and Gurudwaras without written permission of the authority even during day time, that too, by getting an undertaking that the noise level shall not exceed more than 10dB(A) peripheral noise level," the order read.
The division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Harinder Singh Sidhu, hearing a clutch of petitions, issued the order.
Musical instruments will be prohibited in the open during night time, the court said, adding that songs glorifying liquor, wine, drugs and violence will not be allowed at live shows.
The court further said that during night time, loudspeakers can only be used in auditoria, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls.
The court relaxed the rules for a period of 15 days in a year for religious and cultural programmes, allowing loudspeakers from 10 pm to midnight.
The high court has made the district magistrates, senior superintendents of police and the superintendents of police personally responsible for ensuring compliance of the directions.