Rajasthan: Section 144 In Ajmer, District Administration Bans Use Of Religious Flags, Loudspeakers

The order, banning the use of flags with religious symbols and loudspeakers, is effective in the entire urban and rural area of the Ajmer district for one month. 

Dargah Bazar near the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. (File Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: As tensions in Karauli persist, the Ajmer district administration has imposed section 144 and banned the use of flags with religious symbols on public properties.

As a precautionary measure, loudspeakers in religious and public places in the entire urban and rural area have also been prohibited with the imposition of Section 144, news agency ANI reported.

In an order dated April 7, Ajmer District Collector Ansh Deep stated, “During religious purposes to be held in Ajmer district the individual or group of person attempt to disturb the communal harmony by affecting the law and order situation in the Ajmer district by raising the flags with religious symbols on public property such as Government Buildings, Government Undertakings, Board Corporation building, public community building/ Rest houses, public parks, circle electric and telephone poles, etc. constructed at intersections/tirahas or property of another person without any valid sanction. This may lead to apprehensions of breach of public peace and adversely disrupting law and order and social harmony. In such a situation, preventive action is necessary immediately to maintain social harmony and public peace.”

The District Magistrate, Ajmer, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, imposed orders prohibiting the installation of flags with religious insignia on public property in the entire urban and rural area of Ajmer district without any competent sanction.

“If a person violates the above prohibitory orders, he may be prosecuted under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code,” the order mentions, as quoted by ANI.

The order is effective in the entire urban and rural area of the Ajmer district for one month. 

As mentioned earlier, the administration has also banned the use of loudspeakers in all public and religious places. No person or group or representative shall use a DJ for any kind of religious or other function without permission, the order states.

“If anyone wants to use them, then permission will have to be taken from the concerned SDM in advance. This permission will not be available from 10 pm to 6 am. After getting permission, the level of noise pollution cannot exceed the level prescribed in the schedule of Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000,” the order reads.

The decisions come after a stone-pelting incident occured in Rajasthan’s Karauli city during a religious procession early this month.

(With Agency Inputs)