Padmaavat: Apex court rejects plea to cancel CBFC certificate

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea for early hearing of a PIL, seeking cancellation of the certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to Padmaavat. Rejecting the contention that screening the film may cause public disorder, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it was the responsibility of the states to ensure that law and order was maintained.

“Maintaining law and order is not our job. That is the job of the state. Prayer rejected,” the bench said while refusing urgent hearing on the plea filed by lawyer M L Sharma.

The lawyer sought cancellation of the U/A certificate granted to the film. But the court said that it had already passed a reasoned order on Thursday and did not want to interfere any more.

Story continues below this ad

“Yesterday, we have passed a reasoned order,” the bench said, adding that once the CBFC had granted the certificate, there was no scope for any interference.

On Thursday, the court had stayed notifications issued by Rajasthan and Gujarat, prohibiting screening of the movie, saying the issue was important and “valued Constitutional rights are at stake”.