BHOPAL: While not issuing directions to stop the release of Emergency, directed and starred by actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday disposed of a PIL filed by two Sikh organisations.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) informed the court that the movie is yet to be certified for release and is still under examination. This meant that the film, facing protests from the Sikh community, will not be released on September 6.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf, while disposing of the PIL, permitted the petitioners — the Jabalpur Sikh Sangat and Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Indore — to file a comprehensive representation containing objections before the CBFC within three days.
The court further mentioned in its four-page order that “upon receiving the representation, the Board shall consider the objections to the unreleased film and also take expeditious appropriate steps in respect of the trailer.”
The HC said, “Needless to state that this court has neither considered nor commented on the merits of the contentions of either parties. All rights and contentions of parties are reserved.”
Earlier, during the hearing of the PIL, the lawyers appearing for the Central government and CBFC informed the court that the movie has not yet been certified and is under examination unfder Cinematograph Act and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules.
The petitioners’ lawyer NS Ruprah submitted that a representation was sent to CBFC chairman on August 30, objecting to the film’s release.
Objection
The petitioners submitted that even the film’s trailer has objectio-nable scenes that portray Sikh commu-nity in bad light and may create a divide between the Sikhs and Hindus. He sought the film’s trailer be removed immediately.