The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on April 15 a plea challenging the Election Commission’s ban on the release of biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A bench headed by Chief Justice said it will hear the plea filed by producers of the biopic. The poll panel had on Wednesday banned the screening of the biopic during poll period, saying any such film that subserves purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media.
The apex court had on Tuesday disposed of the petition filed by a Congress activist seeking stay on the release of the biopic, saying the Election Commission was the right forum to decide the issue. The top court had left it for the EC to take a call by saying that since the movie was not certified at that time by the Censor Board it could not entertain the petition seeking ban on the film.
Hitesh Jain, the lawyer for the producers, had, however, claimed that the film was not violative of the Model Code of Conduct as a biopic is “a biography in a visual medium” and if biographies are allowed to be sold then biopics should also be allowed to release.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition filed by a Congress activist seeking a stay on the film’s release, saying the EC would be an “appropriate” place to seek the redressal.
The apex court said it was not entertaining the petition for the stay on the release of the film as it was “premature” since the movie is yet to be certified by the censor board.
The plea had sought deferment of the biopic’s release till the completion of the coming Lok Sabha polls, alleging that it was designed to “manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters”.
