Court turns down Mahesh Bhatt’s appeal

The Delhi High Court declined to hear filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s petition to eliminate the law about having a notification that all films will have to screen a mandatory “health message” in the beginning and middle of the films showing use of tobacco products.

The September 2012 notification of health ministry said that an anti-tobacco health spots of minimum 30 seconds will have to be displayed at the beginning and middle of the films displaying tobacco products or their use. The notice also involves the requirement of strong editorial justification for any film displaying tobacco.

The judges of the matter refused to entertain the plea, saying that a similar matter is pending before the Supreme Court according to reports by Times Of India.

By Rishi Modi