- 28 June, 2025
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, June 28, 2025: On June 20, the Allahabad High Court upheld the constitutional right of Christians in Uttar Pradesh to hold religious prayer gatherings. The ruling came in response to petitions filed by 10 Christian groups from the state, who alleged that authorities had repeatedly denied them permission to conduct such gatherings.
A two-judge bench of the High Court emphasised that conducting religious prayer meetings does not violate any existing laws. Reaffirming Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, the court stated that every citizen has the right to freely practise their faith, as long as it does not disturb public order.
The court directed all petitioners to submit fresh applications to local authorities for conducting prayer gatherings. "These authorities must then 'consider and decide' the applications in accordance with the law, after consulting the local police," the court stated.
All ten Christian groups from the state who filed petitions were represented by Advocate Sr. Sheeba, a nun belonging to the Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI) congregation, who is also a practising criminal lawyer. She filed the case as a writ of mandamus under Article 226, seeking the court's intervention after repeated appeals to the District Magistrate (DM), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), and Police Commissioner were ignored. All ten groups, which are Christian trusts, had requested permission from these officials to conduct prayer gatherings. However, their appeals went unanswered.
"My primary prayer to the Honourable High Court was for a direction—to allow us to worship," said Sr Sheeba. “I told the court that every citizen of India has a fundamental right to worship."
The petitions stemmed from increasing police action in Uttar Pradesh following the enactment of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
According to Sr. Sheeba, this law has been misused to disrupt Christian prayer meetings, with police arresting participants even in private settings. "Each group that filed a petition in the court is a registered trust. They organise prayer meetings lawfully. Yet, on several occasions, the police have arrested people attending such meetings on suspicion of them indulging in forced religious conversion," she said.
During the hearing, the Advocate General of the State opposed the petition, raising concerns over potential mass conversions.
The High Court, however, emphasised that freedom of religion is a constitutional right. "Every citizen has a right to practise and perform his faith and religious congregation, subject to public order," the bench observed.
Pastor Sukesh Kumar, leader of the Jeevan Jyoti fellowship in Azamgarh and one of the petitioners, said he approached the High Court after facing consistent denials to hold prayer meetings on the premises of his legally registered society.
“Despite applying to the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and Superintendent of Police, I was denied permission on three separate occasions between 2018 and 2025,” Pastor Sukesh said while speaking to Catholic Connect News.
Pastor Sukesh alleged that the police not only rejected his applications without a valid reason but also subjected him to religious discrimination. “A sub-inspector once asked me if all Hindu gods had died, that I needed to worship Jesus,” he recalled.
According to Sukesh, it is common for authorities to arrest pastors and believers without conducting proper investigations. “Getting bail or clearing your name becomes a long, exhausting, and expensive process,” he said. The legal route, he believes, is now the safest path forward for religious minorities seeking to exercise their rights.
Christian groups across Uttar Pradesh have welcomed the Allahabad High Court's ruling, hoping it will pave the way for greater religious freedom and lawful protection of their rights.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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