Punjab and Haryana High Court has lodged a public interest litigation filed against the upcoming movie “Emergency” upon the issue that film’s certification processes are yet to be cleared and are supposed to abide by legal guidelines. The litigation is filed following assurances by Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India. 

The petition lodged by Gurinder Singh along with other petitioners proclaimed that the movie constitutes of contents that target and hurt the emotions of Sikh Community. The petitioners looked for directions of Union of India and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to restrain the certification of film and to eliminate the offended scenes. The Sikhs also pleaded to court to avert the movie’s release until eminent Sikh personnels review it.

Satya Pal Jain informed the court that the film’s certification has not under the rule 23 of the Cinematograph (certification) had not passed yet. He states, “all necessary precautions, as enshrined in the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Rules of 1983, including the guiding principles for certifying films, i.e interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation or contempt of court, shall be taken into account”.

Taking the proposed submissions into consideration, the bench of Chief Justice proclaimed: “This Court also finds that even after certification of the movie being made, any aggrieved person has a remedy to approach respondent-Board to place the matter before the revising committee for review of certification issued by the Board, which is to be dealt with in accordance with Rule 24 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983”.