Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has dismissed several objections raised by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) regarding scenes and dialogues in the film Inn Galiyon Mein, stating that the board was "stretching its own guidelines a bit too much."
The film’s director, Vinod Kumar, had challenged the CBFC’s suggested modifications, which included excisions, insertions, and deletions. One of the primary objections was over a scene depicting a flag being trampled. CBFC’s counsel, Advocate Vinit Jain, argued that such visuals should not be allowed, asserting that “a flag of any nature ought not to be treated in such an insulting manner.”
However, Justice Manish Pitale dismissed the concern, agreeing with the petitioner’s argument that the flag did not represent any nation or political party. Instead, it belonged to a fictional party in the film, linked to a character inciting communal disharmony, who is ultimately defeated.
“Mere trampling of the flag cannot be said to be objectionable, particularly when it neither represents the flag of a nation nor that of any political party,” the court observed.
The CBFC also sought to remove the phrase "Goli maro salon ko," citing its reference to a neighbouring country. The court found no issue with it, noting that the film portrays those using such language as being defeated by rational characters.
“This court is of the opinion that in the context of the entire film, particularly in the light of the sequence or scenes that lead up to the said dialogue, nothing objectionable is found, and the respondent-CBFC is stretching its own guidelines a bit too much while raising the aforesaid objection,” the order stated.
Similarly, the board objected to the dialogue "Ye desh aisa hi chalega" and insisted on removing the word "Desh." The court ruled against this, stating that in the film’s context, it was not objectionable.
While the filmmakers voluntarily accepted some modifications suggested by the CBFC, the court directed them to submit a revised version of the film within a week. The CBFC must then issue a UA-12 certificate within the following week.
Set in Lucknow, Inn Galiyon Mein stars Javed Jaffrey, Vivaan Shah, and Avantika Dasani. The film revolves around a romance between protagonists from different communities, set against the backdrop of an election influenced by fake rumours.
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New Delhi(PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the publication of draft electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar saying it would once for all decide the pleas against the Election Commission's special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said it would fix on July 29, the time schedule to conduct the final hearing of the matter.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for an NGO, said the electoral rolls should not be finalised in the interim and there should be an interim stay on the publication of the draft rolls.
The bench observed the last order of the top court noted the petitioners not pressing for an interim relief and, therefore, it couldn't be done now and matter would be interpreted once for all.
It asked the poll panel to continue accepting Aadhaar and voter ID for the SIR exercise in Bihar in compliance with its order saying both documents had a "presumption of genuineness".
The court said it prima facie agreed with the order of the top court and the EC accepted in its counter affidavit that Aadhaar, voter cards and ration cards were required to be accepted.
“As far as ration cards are concerned we can say they can be forged easily but Aadhaar and voter cards have some sanctity and have presumption of genuineness. You continue accepting these documents,” the bench said.