SC rejects all petitions seeking 100 per cent verification of EVM votes with VVPAT slips
The top court also rejected the prayers of petitioners to return to ballot paper voting.
The governments of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking recall of its January 18 order by which controversial Bollywood movie “Padmaavat’ was allowed to be released in theatres across India on January 25.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud agreed to hear the interim applications of both the states seeking modification of the apex court order allowing exhibition of the movie on Tuesday.
The states claimed that section 6 of the Cinematograph Act empowers them to stop exhibition of any controversial movie on the grounds of possible violation of law and order.
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Earlier, the name of the movie was changed from Padmavati to Padmaavat by the CBFC in addition to some other changes. The makers also covered Deepika Padukone’s midriff the song ‘ghoomar’ as suggested by the CBFC. Even though Supreme Court had allowed the film to be released across the country, the protests against the film have refused to die down.
On 20 January, Bhansali production wrote a letter to Shree Rajput Karni Sena (the fringe group which is opposing the film) and Rajput Sabha, Jaipur, inviting them to watch the film assuring them that the film only showcase the honour and valour of the Rajput community.
Karni Sena said it was ready to watch the Bollywood period drama as offered by Bhansali productions to end the deadlock on the issue.
“We are ready to watch the film. We never said that we will not watch the film. The filmmaker had assured us one year ago that he will go for a special screening and now he has written for the screening and we are ready for that,” PTI quoted Sena leader Lokendra Singh Kalvi as saying.
The Supreme Court had on January 25 paved the way for the nationwide release of ‘Padmaavat’ by staying the ban on its screening in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
(With PTI inputs)
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