New Delhi, Nov 21 (PTI) Justifying a blanket ban on smoking scenes in films and television programmes, the Centre today contended before the Delhi High Court that on-screen depiction of smoking is against public interest as people try to imitate their stars' actions.
"A large number of people get affected by observing what their stars do on screen in films or advertisements. People start imitating them. People would be encouraged for smoking if they see film stars or sports person doing the same in a film or advertisement," Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra and Advocate Mukul Gupta said.
"There have been many instances where people particularly youth and children have tried to imitate what they see on the screen. In some cases people have jumped from high buildings trying to imitate what they saw in a film. So will be the case if on-screen smoking is allowed," the government said.
The Centre's submission came before Justice S K Kaul, who is hearing the matter as an umpire judge after a split verdict was given by a division bench on filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's petition challenging the government notification banning smoking scenes in films and television programmes.
A division bench of Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Sanjiv Khanna had, on February 7, had given a split verdict after disagreement on the issue.
The two had different opinions on the constitutional validity of a provision in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 which bans smoking on screen. PTI
"A large number of people get affected by observing what their stars do on screen in films or advertisements. People start imitating them. People would be encouraged for smoking if they see film stars or sports person doing the same in a film or advertisement," Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra and Advocate Mukul Gupta said.
"There have been many instances where people particularly youth and children have tried to imitate what they see on the screen. In some cases people have jumped from high buildings trying to imitate what they saw in a film. So will be the case if on-screen smoking is allowed," the government said.
The Centre's submission came before Justice S K Kaul, who is hearing the matter as an umpire judge after a split verdict was given by a division bench on filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's petition challenging the government notification banning smoking scenes in films and television programmes.
A division bench of Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Sanjiv Khanna had, on February 7, had given a split verdict after disagreement on the issue.
The two had different opinions on the constitutional validity of a provision in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 which bans smoking on screen. PTI
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