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Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Stay On Modi Biopic, Says Time Wasted On 'Non-Issue'

The apex court said the EC should decide if 'PM Narendra Modi' violated the Model Code of Conduct.
SUJIT JAISWAL via Getty Images

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of a Congress activist seeking stay on release of biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The apex court said it was not entertaining the petition for the stay on the release of the film as the plea is “premature” because the movie has not yet been certified by the Censor Board.

It said even if the film is released on 11 April, as claimed by the Congress activist, it will be appropriate for him to seek a redressal from the Election Commission.

“We, therefore do not consider it fit to entertain the petition”, a bench comprising Chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said.

The apex court bench further said that the Election Commission should decide whether the biopic violates the Model Code of Conduct.

While dismissing the plea, the top court bench also said that too much of court’s time was “wasted on a non-issue”.

The plea, by Congress activist Aman Panwar, had sought deferment of the biopic’s release till the completion of the coming Lok Sabha polls, alleging that it was designed to “manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters”.

Titled PM Narendra Modi, the biopic was initially slated for release on 5 April but was delayed.

The plea had also sought a direction from the court declaring that advertisement and promotion of the film during the operation of the model code of conduct violated electoral laws.

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier rejected a plea seeking ban on the release. The Bombay High Court had also disposed of a plea seeking deferment of the biopic’s release, saying the Election Commission will deal with the issue.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.