SC issues notice over ban on film `Sada Haq`

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday issued notice to Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh on a petition by Vital Media challenging the ban on its film ‘Sada Haq’ based on a storyline purportedly glorifying those who led Punjab militancy.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice Vikramajit Sen issued notice on the plea of the senior counsel Colin Gonsalves assailing the ban order by the Delhi and Punjab governments and the Chandigarh administration. Gonsalves said the ban was imposed even after film was cleared for screening by the Central Board of Film Certification. The Punjabi film, depicting the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Punjab militancy and alleged police brutalities, was to be screened April 5 but was banned a day earlier by the Punjab and Delhi governments and the Chandigarh administration. Delhi government counsel S. Wasim Ahmed Qadri said that the screening of the film could affect a section of population belonging to a particular religion and could have consequential fallouts. Qadri urged the court not to pass any interim order on Vital Media`s plea. The court said that its notice was returnable in a week. IANS