SC allows Christian prayer meeting in Indore after administration revoked permission

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a prayer meeting organised by the Christian community to take place after the district administration in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore revoked permission for the event, PTI reported.

The court stayed an order by the district administration that withdrew the permission for the event.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Satish Chandra Sharma and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a petition challenging the administration’s cancellation of the prayer meeting and a subsequent order by the Madhya Pradesh High Court upholding the denial of permission.

The top court observed that prima facie the revocation of the permission on the grounds that there could be a law and order situation was “not justified”.

It then allowed the petitioner, Suresh Carletons, to hold the prayer meeting on Wednesday.

Chennai-based Christian preacher Paul Dhinakaran was to address around 8,000 persons at the prayer meeting on Wednesday, PTI reported. The permission for the event was granted for the event on April 5.

On Sunday, an assistant election officer in Indore cancelled the permission citing the law and order situation. The order claimed that some Hindu outfits and social organisations had filed a complaint on April 5 opposing the Christian prayer meeting.

The complaint alleged that the prayer meeting was being organised with an intention to mislead the Hindu...

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