SC to hear plea against blocking of Muzaffarnagar riots film in UP, Uttarakhand

The Supreme Court will hear a plea by Morna Entertainment challenging the "illegal and unwarranted" blocking of the release of its film "Muzaffarnagar: The Burning Love" in the eight districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand through verbal orders of the district administration.

Directing the next hearing of the matter on December 11, the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M.Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud asked lawyer Sandeep Singh - appearing for the petitioner - to serve a copy of the petition on the standing counsel of Uttsar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"Muzaffarnagar: The Burning Love" is based on the love story of a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl set against the backdrop of 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

The film, which was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification on July 14 with an UA certificate, was set to release on November 17.

The release and screening of the film was blocked in eight districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand - Muzzaffarnagar, Meerut, Shamli, Saharanpur, Haridwar, Bijnore, Baghpat & Ghaziabad - on the strength of verbal orders of the respective district administrations, says the petitioner who has moved the top court under Article 32 to uphold his fundamental rights.

Seeking direction for the release of film without any obstruction, Morna Entertainment has sought a damages of Rs 50 lakh contending that the illegal action of the district administrations had caused them immense loss.

--IANS

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