Nagpur: The centre government, on Tuesday, assured Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that it's in process of amending the Cinematograph Act, 1952, where mechanism to regulate obscene posters would be taken care of.
A special bench comprising chief justice Manjula Chellur and justice Prasanna Varale then disposed of the PIL filed by social worker Tejinder Singh Renu through counsel Harnish Gadhia praying for curbing menace of obscene posters by bringing them under ambit of Cinematographic Act. He also demanded to stop public exhibition of such posters having extremely vulgar content by way of an interim order.
Earlier, counsel for Union information and broadcasting ministry and Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), Mugdha Chandurkar, informed that she had already filed an affidavit in this regard in April where it was informed that amendment draft was being readied and obscene posters issue would be given consideration in it. She had already forwarded prayers made in the PIL and subsequent directives of HC to the respondents.
She added that the ministry had constituted a panel under justice (Retired) Mukul Mudgal and renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal for considering several suggestions made by various forums and also make recommendations for inclusion of all such issues raised through the PIL. She informed that the work of regulating posters to be published is being handled by various societies like Indian Film and TV Producer Council (IFTPC) through its 'Film Publicity Screening Committee'.
During last hearing, a division bench of justices Bhushan Gavai and Indira Jain had observed that obscene posters are printed in large numbers to attract the viewers and there is no uniformity among agencies monitoring them. "If CBFC is given control with regard to film certification, prima facie, there should be no impediment in giving some powers to it to control obscene posters being printed. Perusal of CBFC chairman interview shows that it had requested union ministry for some role in controlling the posters which are printed for promotion of films," the judges said.
The bench stated that they were aware of their limitations and can't direct the centre to have a particular policy in that regard. "However, publishing such obscene posters is in nobody's interest. On the contrary, it will corrupt the minds of the youths. It will be appropriate that the centre works out some mechanism by which publicity of such obscene posters will be prevented," they said.
The petitioner moved to the court after coming across posters of films pasted outside theatres and was in circulation on various social media platforms. The contents were obscene and vulgar that can corrupt children and young minds, and could become embarrassment to the women. He then made a representation to the union ministry and CBFC in February last year with prints of film posters, which depicted obscenity.
The CBFC CEO replied that it certifies movies totally in accordance with the provisions of Cinematograph Act, Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983, and the Central Government Guidelines of 1991. Thereafter, the CBFC categorizes them in 'U, U/A, A or S' categories according to their contents. However, their posters/publicity does not come under board's jurisdiction.
A special bench comprising chief justice Manjula Chellur and justice Prasanna Varale then disposed of the PIL filed by social worker Tejinder Singh Renu through counsel Harnish Gadhia praying for curbing menace of obscene posters by bringing them under ambit of Cinematographic Act. He also demanded to stop public exhibition of such posters having extremely vulgar content by way of an interim order.
Earlier, counsel for Union information and broadcasting ministry and Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), Mugdha Chandurkar, informed that she had already filed an affidavit in this regard in April where it was informed that amendment draft was being readied and obscene posters issue would be given consideration in it. She had already forwarded prayers made in the PIL and subsequent directives of HC to the respondents.
She added that the ministry had constituted a panel under justice (Retired) Mukul Mudgal and renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal for considering several suggestions made by various forums and also make recommendations for inclusion of all such issues raised through the PIL. She informed that the work of regulating posters to be published is being handled by various societies like Indian Film and TV Producer Council (IFTPC) through its 'Film Publicity Screening Committee'.
During last hearing, a division bench of justices Bhushan Gavai and Indira Jain had observed that obscene posters are printed in large numbers to attract the viewers and there is no uniformity among agencies monitoring them. "If CBFC is given control with regard to film certification, prima facie, there should be no impediment in giving some powers to it to control obscene posters being printed. Perusal of CBFC chairman interview shows that it had requested union ministry for some role in controlling the posters which are printed for promotion of films," the judges said.
The bench stated that they were aware of their limitations and can't direct the centre to have a particular policy in that regard. "However, publishing such obscene posters is in nobody's interest. On the contrary, it will corrupt the minds of the youths. It will be appropriate that the centre works out some mechanism by which publicity of such obscene posters will be prevented," they said.
The petitioner moved to the court after coming across posters of films pasted outside theatres and was in circulation on various social media platforms. The contents were obscene and vulgar that can corrupt children and young minds, and could become embarrassment to the women. He then made a representation to the union ministry and CBFC in February last year with prints of film posters, which depicted obscenity.
The CBFC CEO replied that it certifies movies totally in accordance with the provisions of Cinematograph Act, Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983, and the Central Government Guidelines of 1991. Thereafter, the CBFC categorizes them in 'U, U/A, A or S' categories according to their contents. However, their posters/publicity does not come under board's jurisdiction.
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