Updated on Saturday, June 27, 2009, 16:16 IST

Madurai, June 27: Holding that religious worship without affecting public order is a fundamental right guaranteed in the Constitution, the Madras High Court bench in Madurai has allowed a church in Kanyakumari to conduct prayers, after it "disagreed" with an order of a district official directing the pastor to seek permission for it.

Neither the revenue officials, in their capacity as Executive Magistrate, nor Police could insist on obtaining their permission for conducting prayers inside a religous institution in a peaceful manner, justice RS Ramanathan observed disposing of a petition seeking to allow prayers.

He "disagreed" with the order of Kanyakumari Revenue Divisional Officer asking the pastor of South India Assemblies of God church in Kumarapuram Thoppur to obtain permission for conducting prayers in order to avoid law and order problem.

The judge ordered the official not to interfere with the prayers conducted in the church premises.

The court also directed the pastor to confine worship within the church premises without causing any harm or nuisance to outsiders.

The pastor was asked to seek permission in case of taking out a procession and it would be open to the authorities to grant permission for the same by imposing certain reasonable conditions as per the high court guidelines in similar cases.

Bureau Report