The Supreme Court today stayed the decision of the West Bengal Government to ban screening of the film “The Kerala Story” in the State. A bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala stayed the ban order of West Bengal High Court and also directed the State of Tamil Nadu to provide security to theatres.
Regarding Tamil Nadu, the Court noted the State’s submission that the screening of the film has not been directly or indirectly prohibited in the State.
Regarding the challenge to the Central Board of Film Certification, the Court said it would be listed after summer vacations as the Court would first have to see the movie for that.
The Kerala Story is a Hindi film about a group of women from Kerala who join ISIS.
The top court bench was hearing two petitions – one is a challenge to the May 5 Kerala High Court order that had refused to stay the release of the movie, or take down the trailer and other clips. The other being the plea filed by the makers of the movie, challenging the decision of the West Bengal Government to ban the film.
