Overview

• Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti announced that around 1,500 permanent loudspeakers have been removed, rendering all religious structures in the city loudspeaker-free.
• The removal drive covered mosques, temples and gurdwaras under directives from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to ensure impartial enforcement.
• This operation implements a January Bombay High Court ruling that loudspeakers are not integral to any religion and must comply with noise pollution norms.
• Authorities will grant short-term permissions for festival use of loudspeakers provided they adhere to strict decibel regulations.
• Some Muslim community representatives have raised concerns over due-process lapses during the removals and are seeking stronger procedural safeguards.