West Bengal Police ordered 1,276 mosques and 199 temples to remove loudspeakers during a two-day statewide drive over allegations of sound levels exceeding prescribed limits. The report, published by Amar Desh Online on August 6, 2026, said nearly 1,500 religious institutions were affected. The information was attributed to a report by The Times of India.

Senior police officials said the action was taken equally against religious institutions of all faiths and without discrimination. In what was described as the state’s first such operation, police encouraged management committees at places of worship to remove microphones and comply with noise-pollution rules.

Under West Bengal’s Noise Pollution Control Rules, 2000, prior police permission is mandatory to use loudspeakers between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Sound limiters must also be used, with noise levels kept strictly between 50 and 75 decibels. Representatives of several mosque and temple committees told the media that local police issued only verbal directions to remove loudspeakers, with no written instruction provided.