Centre proposes bill to order recertification of films

The Centre has introduced a draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2021, which will give the government the power to order recertification of old films. If it comes into effect, the bill can be used to censor movies that are already certified.

If a viewer files a complaint against the film, the central government can order recertification, which will add another layer of direct government censorship, reported the Wire. This will be added to the existing process run by the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC).

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that sometimes films elude the violation of the original Cinematograph Act, 1952, and complaints are received after the film is certified. The new law is to avoid situations in which the government is not able to act on those complaints because the courts have said it has no power once a film is certified by the CBFC.

The government is using the "reasonable restrictions" in Article 19 to justify acting as a "super-censor". The new draft will give the Centre the right to enforce cuts forcefully. It may also lead to a political process of evaluating the film's content.

Over the years, governments have tried to play super-censor and effectively prevent public release, but the judicial system has not supported intolerance. "The Supreme Court's view that the government has no right to demand censorship once the Board has certified a film has deemed the Centre powerless, '' said The Wire report.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also proposed different categories by sub-dividing UA category into age-based categories such as U/A 7+, U/A 13+ and U/A 16+.