Obtain written permission within 15 days or remove loudspeakers, Karnataka govt issues new order for using loudspeaker at religious places

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday held a meeting with top officials of Home, Police, and Legal Department and issued guidelines on the usage of loudspeakers at religious places across the state. The new order added that all the premises using loudspeakers in the state shall obtain written permission from authorities within 15 days or should voluntarily remove the loudspeakers. It also added that the loudspeakers will be removed by the authorities if permission is not obtained within 15 days. “A committee shall be formed at different levels to decide the application for loudspeaker, public address system. The following committees shall decide the permission to be given. “In all Police Commissionerate areas – Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jurisdictional Executive Engineer of the City Corporation, and a representative of Pollution Control Board. “In all other areas, DySP, the jurisdictional Tehsildar, and a representative of Pollution Control Board.” the order added.