Stalin demands withdrawal of proposed amendment to Cinematograph Act

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday demanded that the Centre withdraw the proposed amendment to the Cinematograph Act 1952.

He also advocated functional autonomy to be granted by the Centrefor the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), so that the 'country remains as a progressive nation, and where creative thinking, that includes art, culture and film-making, blossoms without fear or favour'.

In a letter to Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad referring to the Draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Stalin said: "The draft Bill has given rise to serious apprehensions not only in the minds of the film fraternity and film industry but also among all well-meaning sections of the society that cherish freedom of expression."

Stalin opined that a vibrant democracy must be provided adequate space for creative thinking and artistic freedom.

"However, the proposed amendment to the Cinematograph Act seeks to restrict it by restoring the revisionary powers of the Union Government that was struck down by the Supreme Court two decades ago," Stalin said.

He said once a film is certified for public viewing by the CBFC, it falls within the domain of the state governments and thereafter it should be the states who are responsible for law and order and decisions should be left to them.

"But now, the Union Government, by the proposed Act, tries to go against the spirit of cooperative federalism and transgress the powers of the State Governments and its own Central Board of Film Certification," he said.

Stalin also pointed out the dismantling of the the Film Certification Appellate Board which was functioning as an appellate body against the CBFC, as a prelude to the amendment.

(Based on IANS feed)