The Supreme Court today rejected the pleas of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments seeking ban on the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat on January 25 in their respective states.
The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra refused to accept their request to reconsider its earlier order on law and order grounds.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for state of Rajasthan, argued before Supreme Court that 'I am not saying that allow me to ban the film,I had moved the Apex Court for certain modification of the Apex court's earlier interim order'.
To this, the Supreme Court three-judge bench observed, 'people must understand that there is a statutory body, and also we have passed an order.'
The Supreme Court, last week set aside the notification passed by the states of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat to ban the release of the film.
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments had filed a plea seeking modification to that order.
The Rajasthan government had invited the Mewar royal family and the Karni Sena, which is leading the protests, to become party to its petition.
However, Haryana agreed to abide by the order.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced that the state will abide by the Supreme Court order and provide security to the cinema halls that will screen the movie.
Meanwhile, fringe outfits like the Karni Sena are creating havok, refusing to allow the screening of the film and threatening theatre owners of dire consequences if they do otherwise.
The right-wing outfit, the most vociferous of the fringe groups opposing the period drama, has alleged that historical facts were distorted in the movie.
(Inputs from agencies)
