The Supreme Court on May 4 put an end to attempts for the second consecutive day to stall the release of The Kerala Story, by refusing to entertain a fresh petition challenging its certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
A bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice J.B. Pardiwala refused to hear the matter as it had asked another petitioner on May 3 to move the Kerala high court which was hearing similar petitions seeking stay on the film’s release today (May 5). Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi and advocate Shoeb Alam made several attempts and even begged for an immediate hearing in the afternoon, but the bench did not budge.
Producer Vipul Shah’s counsel pointed out that the Kerala high court had passed a detailed order declining to stay the film’s release while posting it for further hearing on May 5, the day of the film’s release.
The apex court said on May 4, “The Kerala high court had applied its mind and passed a detailed order declining interim relief. A bench of this court on Tuesday (May 2) refused to entertain a similar plea. On Wednesday (May 3), we declined to entertain such petitions and asked them to go before the Kerala HC. It is a matter of judicial propriety.” Citing the investment that goes into filmmaking, it added, “We must be very careful in staying a film’s release.”