The Madras High Court has issued notices to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and others on a plea seeking a directive to set up a panel to censor television programmes and restrain Star Vijay from broadcasting reality show Bigg Boss Tamil without a censor certificate.
A division bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad on 19 June posted the matter for further hearing on July 4 and issued notices to nine respondents, including the Central Board of Film Certification, Bengaluru.
Advocate K Suthan, who filed the plea, also wanted the court to direct the Indian Broadcasting Foundation to take appropriate action against the channel and producer Endemole India Private Limited for violating the IBF's content code and certification rules. According to the petitioner, IBF rules expressly prohibit sex, obscenity and derogatory content, but television channels across the country have been lax about following these rules even as big ticket films are allowed to be screened only after being cleared by the CBFC.
"Particularly, Bigg Boss, hosted by actor Kamal Haasan, is being telecast with abusive content only with the view to increase the TRP ratings and get monetary benefits without any social responsibility," Suthan submitted to the court.
The third season of Bigg Boss Tamil is scheduled to air on 23 June.
(With inputs from PTI)
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