The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear an urgent plea filed by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak’s Committee, challenging the top court’s earlier order clearing the film Nanak Shah Fakir for release, PTI reported. The top Sikh body, had earlier asked the producer of the movie not to release the movie, which is based on the life and teachings of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev.
Satyender Singh Gulati, counsel for the SGPC, told the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra-led bench that the top Sikh body, which is a statutory body, in 2003 had passed a resolution barring anyone from depicting the role of any Sikh guru or their family members. Gulati moved the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing as the film is slated for release on Friday.
“The Central Board of Film Certification under the Cinematographer Act has granted issued certificate and outsiders can’t interfere into it,” the bench said, according to Live Law. The court denied to hear the matter on Thursday or Friday, and posted the matter for Monday.
On April 10, the top court had criticised the SGPC, the top Sikh body, for imposing restrictions on the film. The bench said that once the censor board had cleared the film, no one had the right to stop its release. The bench also asked all states to maintain law and order to ensure that the film is released without trouble.
The Central Board of Film Certification had cleared the movie on March 28, after which the SGPC asked the producer not to release it. The film’s producer, Harinder S Sikka, had approached the top court to seek protection of his fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, and the right to propagation of religious views. He claimed that “certain sections of people” had a vested interest in stalling the release of the movie.
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