SC agrees to hear plea against release of Narendra Modi biopic on Monday

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a writ petition against the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The top court will hear the plea on Monday.

The film follows PM Modi’s life from his humble beginning to his rise first as the Gujarat chief minister and then electoral victory in 2014, catapulting him as the prime minister.

The Congress and the Left complained to the Election Commission of India against the release of the film, saying it violates the Model Code of Conduct.

Arguing on the behalf of petitioner senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended in the Supreme Court that while the poll code is in place, release of the film, produced by people connected to ruling party, would affect free and fair polls.

Congress spokesperson Aman Panwar has filed a petition in the top court seeking stay on the release of the film on PM Modi. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde will hear the plea on Monday. The matter has reached the Supreme Court after three high courts refused to interfere with the release of the movie starring Vivek Oberoi, who plays the character of PM Modi. The high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Bombay and Delhi have disposed off similar pleas over past few days.

The high courts have stated that the Election Commission should take a call on deferring the release of the film.

First Published: Apr 05, 2019 01:26 IST