Kolkata, Aug. 13 -- The Calcutta High Court on Thursday, August 13, questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led West Bengal government on whether it had directed mosques to remove loudspeakers in the state.

The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee asked the State government after a public interest litigation (PIL) opposed the alleged police instructions directing mosques to take down loudspeakers.

Filed by lawyer Danish Farooqui, the plea alleged that the authorities issued "blanket verbal directions" in multiple districts to places of worship, including temples and mosques.

"The police officials, without any written order, notification, or legal sanction, and without conducting...