Power to ban a film does not lie with the CBFC, govt tells Rajya Sabha

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cannot ban a movie but can refuse certification which it has done for six films since 2014, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. The CBFC examines a film following the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 and the guidelines issued thereunder and may sanction it for public exhibition under ‘U’, ‘U/A’, ‘A’ and ‘S’ categories.

Responding to a query raised in the Rajya Sabha on the number of films banned in India since 2014, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the CBFC does not have the power to ban a film.

The exhibition of films is a state subject and the state governments are empowered with licensing and other related matters about the exhibition of films in the state, he said.

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“The power to ban a film does not lie with the CBFC. However, CBFC can refuse certification to a film for public exhibition for violation of Guidelines issued under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Since 2014, only six films have been refused certification by CBFC – one in 2014-15, two in 2016-17, two in 2018-19 and one in 2019-20,” Thakur said.