While quashing an order cancelling the permission granted to Hope of Glory Ministry Trust to conduct the Maharashtra Prayer Festival, the Bombay High Court has held that abruptly cancelling the event violates their fundamental right to life, which includes the right to live with dignity. The High Court also asked the Trust to file an undertaking immediately to the effect that the provisions of the Black Magic Act will not be contravened or violated.

The High Court was considering a Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, challenging the legality and validity of the Notices and Communications of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).

The Division Bench of Justice Madhav J. Jamdar and Justice Pravin S. Patil held, “The members of the Petitioner-Trust and others i.e. about 50,000 persons have gathered for the said event are citizens of India. Thus, abruptly cancelling the event, violates their fundamental right to life, which includes right to live with dignity. It is their right to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion. Of course, the same has to be subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of law.”

Advocate Kuldeep Nikam represented the Petitioner, while Assistant Government Pleader A. A. Naik represented the Respondent.

Factual Background

The Petitioner-Trust, registered under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, claimed to be organising various events with respect to the development of the society and also being involved in cultural and religious activities. The Petitioner-Trust organised the event, Maharashtra Prayer Festival, 2026. The Petitioner had applied to the MIDC seeking permission to organise the said event from March 13, 2026, to March 15, 2026 and also deposited an amount of Rs 1,69,920 as occupation charges as also Rs 1,44,000. MIDC accordingly granted permission for conducting the said event. On March 9, 2026, the Police Inspector of Sangli Rural Police Station cancelled the permission.

The said event was performed on March 13, 2026 and on March 14, the Petitioner was informed that the permission was again cancelled. The respondents claimed that on the basis of the action taken by the Respondent -Police Authorities, the second Respondent, MIDC, had cancelled the permission.

Reasoning

The Bench, at the outset, took note of the fact that the permissions of the Authorities had been taken by the Petitioner, including those of Gram Panchayat, Kavalapur, Taluka - Miraj, District – Sangli, Sangli Miraj and Kupwad City Municipal Corporation, including permission from the Fire Brigade Department.

Referring to an FIR registered under Section 3(2) of the Black Magic Act, the Bench took note of the fact that the petitioner was ready to give an undertaking that the provisions of the Black Magic Act would not be violated. The Bench noted that it was not the contention of even the Police Authorities that there was any law and order situation. There was nothing on record to show that any statement was made in the said event which affected the law and order situation, nor was there any criticism of other religions or religious places and religious beliefs of people belonging to other religions.

“As already noted herein above, granting permission to the said event on 7th March 2026, thereafter, cancelling the said permission on 9th March 2026 and again granting permission on 12th March 2026 and in the midst of event again cancelling the said permission on 14th March 2026 at 02:00 a.m. clearly shows that authorities are acting in illegal and mala ide manner. It is very clear that the fundamental rights of the citizens who have gathered for the said event, have been violated”, it stated.

Thus, the Bench disposed of the petition by quashing the Order cancelling the permission granted to the Petitioner for conducting the Maharashtra Prayer Festival, 2026. “The Petitioner to conduct the said event as per said permissions”, it ordered.

Cause Title: Hope of Glory Ministry Trust through its Chairman Dilip Bhore v. The State of Maharashtra (Neutral Citation: 2026:BHC-KOL:1762-DB)

Appearance

Petitioner: Advocates Kuldeep Nikam, Pratik Patil, Unmesh Jamdar, Akash B. Dalvi

Respondent: Assistant Government Pleader A. A. Naik, Advocate Shyamali Gadre

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Bombay High CourtJustice Madhav J. JamdarJustice Pravin S. Patil

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.