Supreme Court rejects plea to cancel CBFC certificate to ‘Padmaavat’

“Maintaining law and order is not our job. That is the job of the state. Prayer rejected,” says Bench.

A view of the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea to cancel the Censor Board certificate given to the movie Padmaavat .

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra dismissed submissions made by advocate M.L. Sharma that exhibiting the movie in certain States would be an open invitation for violence.

“This is a constitutional court. Maintaining law and order is not our job. That is the job of the State. Prayer is rejected,” Chief Justice Misra orally observed.

Mr. Sharma had sought cancellation of the U/A certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to

Padmaavat on various grounds, including the provisions of the Cinematograph Act.

“Yesterday [Thursday], we passed a reasoned order,” Chief Justice Misra observed. The film is scheduled for national release on January 25.

This PIL to cancel the Censor Board certificate came hardly a day after the apex court had

stayed the notifications and orders passed by certain States to prohibit the exhibition of the film, saying its “conscience is shocked” that States have guillotined creative rights.