NEW DELHI: The announcement of the 72nd National Film Awards is likely to be delayed by more than a week as the jury is still in the process of finalising the winners, government sources said on Saturday.
The statement comes amid media speculation that the government will announce the winners in the coming week.
According to government sources, the jury's deliberations are still underway, and a few members have prior commitments, which is expected to delay the process.
"As per government sources, the jury's deliberations are still underway. A few members of the jury have prior commitments, and the process is expected to take some more time. Accordingly, the announcement is likely to take more than a week," the sources said.
"Media outlets are requested to avoid speculative reporting until the process is concluded," they added.
The 72nd National Film Awards will honour films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2024.
Considered India's highest film honours, the National Film Awards recognise excellence across feature and non-feature films in categories including acting, direction, screenplay, music, cinematography, editing and other technical disciplines.