Delhi HC quashes ban on smoking scenes in films

The Delhi High Court on Friday quashed the Centre’s notification banning smoking scenes in films,saying it violated film-makers’ fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression.

“Director of films should not have multifarious authorities breathing down their necks when indulging in creative act,” Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said striking down the rules framed by the Centre in October 2006 for banning on-screen smoking.

Justice Kaul passed the order as an umpire judge after a division bench had earlier given a split verdict on the petition of Bollywood Director Mahesh Bhatt challenging the curbs imposed by the government.