The Supreme Court on 25 January agreed to hear two separate contempt petitions against four state governments and the Shree Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena on 29 January. The petitioner have alleged that the state governments and Karni Sena are in violating of the apex court’s order allowing the all-India release of controversial Bollywood movie Padmaavat.
One contempt petition has been filed by Congress supporter Tehseen Poonawalla, seeking action against governments of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh for their alleged failure in containing mobs protesting the release of the Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmaavat.
Another similar petition has been filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Karni Sena and its office-bearers for allegedly holding violent protests against the movie in several states.
"All fresh petitions will be taken up on Monday," a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said.
Both petitions referred to the various apex court orders allowing the exhibition of the movie in theatres across India with the observation that maintaining law and order is the duty of the state governments.
Initially, the apex court had trashed several petitions seeking a stay on Padmaavat’s release on various grounds. After certain states banned the movie, producers of the historic saga moved the court.
The court, on 18 January, set aside the ban and restrained other states from banning the movie, paving way for its all-India release on 25 January.
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had moved the apex court seeking recall of the SC order, which was dismissed on 23 January.
Lawyer ML Sharma also filed another petition demanding the deletion of scenes in Padmaavat on 24 January, a day ahead of its release.
The movie also features Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in lead roles.
(With inputs from PTI)
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