New Delhi/Raipur, July 8 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed as premature a petition challenging the state government’s directive introducing the recitation of the Saraswati Vandana, Gayatri Mantra, Guru Mantra, Shanti Mantra and other invocations during school assemblies in government schools from the 2026-27 academic session.

Dismissing the writ petition, a single-judge Bench of Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad held that the order issued by the School Education Department did not contain any mandatory or coercive direction compelling students to act contrary to their religious beliefs, conscience or faith.

“A careful perusal of the impugned order dated 12.6.2026 reveals that it does not contain any mandatory or coercive direction compelling students to act in a manner contrary to their respective religious beliefs, conscience or faith,” the Chhattisgarh High Court said.

It added that the government order, when read as a whole, did not disclose “any express requirement obligating students to participate in any activity that would interfere with their constitutionally protected freedom of religion or freedom of conscience”.

It further observed that the petitioners had failed to place any material on record to establish violation of any fundamental rights, stating that “no individual or direct injury has been shown”.

The petition was filed by former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi, former Minority Department chairman Mahendra Chhabda and Bilaspur-based social activist Shafique Ahmed.

They had sought quashing of the June 12 order and a declaration that compulsory recitation of Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, Gayatri Mantra, Shanti Mantra, Bhojan Mantra and similar religious prayers in state-funded schools was unconstitutional.

The petitioners contended that the directive violated Articles 14, 21, 25, 28(1), 29 and 30 of the Constitution by compelling students belonging to minority communities to participate in religious practices associated with a particular faith.

Opposing the plea, the state government argued that the petition was based on speculative apprehensions and that the policy neither amounted to religious instruction nor conversion.

The state government also submitted that the impugned circular had already been implemented across government schools without any complaint from students, parents or teachers and that the prescribed invocations were intended to promote discipline, moral values, environmental awareness and national heritage in line with the National Education Policy, 2020.

Agreeing with the state government’s submissions, the Chhattisgarh High Court observed that the expression “religious instruction” under Article 28(1) of the Constitution has a restricted meaning.

“It signifies that the teaching of religious customs, rituals, practices and modes of worship is strictly prohibited in educational institutions wholly maintained out of State funds. However, a plain reading of clause (1) of Article 28 makes it clear that the provision does not ban moral instruction, disassociated from any denominational doctrines, which remains an essential part of training in citizenship, maintenance of law and order in the State and growth of social cohesion,” Justice Prasad said.

Holding that the petition was founded on mere apprehensions rather than any actual grievance, the Chhattisgarh High Court said that the reliefs sought could not be granted at this stage.

“Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed as being premature. However, liberty is reserved in favour of the petitioners to approach this Court afresh by way of an appropriate petition, supported by cogent and relevant material, if any exigency arises in the future,” Justice Prasad ordered.

–IANS

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