A high court in Uttar Pradesh has ruled that Christians do not need government approval to hold prayer meetings on their own private property, bringing clarity to an issue that has led to repeated harassment of believers in the state.
In an order dated 27 January and released publicly on 2 February, the Allahabad High Court stated that permission is not required for religious prayer gatherings held on private premises. The ruling was delivered by a two-judge bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddharth Nandan.
The court said its decision was based on the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equal protection under the law for all citizens, regardless of religion. It added that state authorities must uphold this principle without discrimination.
The ruling came after petitions were filed by two Christian organisations: Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries and Emmanuel Grace Charitable Trust. Both groups said their requests to conduct prayer services on their own property had been repeatedly ignored by local officials.
Christian leaders in Uttar Pradesh have welcomed the decision, saying it offers long-awaited legal clarity.
Pastor Joy Mathew, who serves in the state, said Christians have faced ongoing pressure for holding prayer meetings, even inside homes.
“There has never been a legal requirement to seek permission for prayer meetings on private property,” he said. “Yet police have frequently disrupted gatherings and questioned believers simply for worshipping.”
Mathew said that over the past few years, police actions had led to the closure of more than 1,000 house churches across the state. He believes the court ruling could encourage Christians to resume worship meetings that were stopped due to fear.
He added that police often respond to complaints from Hindu nationalist groups, leading to arrests and accusations of illegal religious conversion or failure to obtain permission for prayer gatherings.
Church leaders now plan to distribute copies of the court order to district police officials and other authorities in an effort to prevent further harassment.
The court also noted that its ruling applies only to private property. If prayer meetings extend into public spaces such as roads or open areas, organisers must still seek approval from the relevant authorities.
Another church leader, who asked not to be named for security reasons, described the ruling as “a light at the end of the tunnel”. He said that in recent years, more than 500 Christians had been falsely charged and jailed under Uttar Pradesh’s strict anti-conversion law for holding prayer meetings.
Adapted from UCA News.
