(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Supreme Court is likely to hear today an appeal by producers of Padmavat challenging the ban on the controversial movie in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana.
The producers' lawyer Mahesh Agrawal yesterday sought before a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud an urgent hearing.
The Chief Justice nodded but did not say anything.
Agrawal was flanked by senior counsel Harish Salve, who is likely to argue the petition when it is listed before the court.
Padmavat has been caught in a row over alleged distortion of facts a contention over which some Rajput organisations including Karni Sena have demanded a nationwide ban on the film. The Central Board of Film Certification had approved the film with some modifications in December.
Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana are among the states that have announced they will not let the Bollywood film directed Sanjay Leela Bhansali hit the screens. It is set for release on January 25.
In November last year, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea against release of the movie earlier titled Padmavati outside India.
The top court had on November 28, 2017 criticised people discussing the issue in public and commenting on Padmavati.
'When the matter is pending before the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for grant of a certificate, nobody holding a responsible position should comment as it would amount to violation of the principle of the rule of law, the court had said on November 28.
Taking exception to comments by leaders cutting across the political spectrum, the court had said: 'When a matter is pending for consideration before CBFC, how can persons in public authority comment on whether CBFC should issue certificate or not? It will prejudice the decision of CBFC, the court had added.
The top court had earlier rejected a plea for blocking the release of Padmavati as it was titled before the CBFC asked its producer to drop 'i in the title.
In the past, the top court has not appreciated the banning of films by states. These included Prakash Jha's Aarakshan based on caste reservation, Dam 999 by the Tamil Nadu government and Sadda Haq allegedly for glorifying extremism and its leader during the turbulent days in Punjab in the 1990s.
Aarakshan was banned by the Uttar Pradesh government and Sadda Haq by the Punjab and Delhi governments and also by the Chandigarh administration.
Meanwhile, Shri Rajput Karni Sena members yesterday blocked a highway connecting Udaipur, Kota and Bhilwara with Chittorgarh to protest against Padmavat.
The highway stretch near Rithala Square in Chittorgarh is extremely crowded. Around 200 police personnel have been deployed in and around Chittorgarh to avert any untoward incident.
On Saturday, Shri Rajput Karni Sena spokesperson Virendra Singh announced that they would block the National Highways and rail tracks across Chittorgarh.
The administration has directed officials to divert the traffic at Rithala Square through alternate routes.
The Karni Sena spokesperson said yesterday: 'We will continue our protest... We are around 2,000 in number now and we are sure that this number will go up by this evening.
Incidents of tyres being burnt on the highway have also been reported from Chittorgarh.
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