Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday orally observed that the order of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), which banned the exhibition of three documentaries at the 10th International Documentary And Short Film Festival Of Kerala (IDSFFK), was wrong.
Admitting a writ petition filed by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, justice Suresh Kumar said the court would not pass an interim order at this point. The Center had been asked to file a counter affidavit in 14 days, after which the court would pass a judgment.
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The academy had approached the court on Monday after the documentaries, In The Shade of Fallen Chinar, March March March, and the Unbearable Being of Lightness, were banned by the ministry. The film-makers' contention was that the grounds for permission denial had not been stated in the order. Counsel for the academy Sudhi Vasudevan told Onmanorama that a work of art could only be banned under three circumstances - if it affected national security, if it would ignite a potential law and order situation, and if the contents would be detrimental to the country's relations with another country.
On Thursday, the court refused to accept a petition filed by the makers of In The Shade of Fallen Chinar and March March March, on the ground that it would be hearing the academy's plea.
The counsel said the court said the ban on the documentaries could only be seen as a politically motivated act.
