Don’t judge

Courts should refuse to hear petitions against creative freedom Bombay HC was spot on saying creative freedom can’t be held hostage to law and order problems. Hearing a case against denial of film certification to Emergency, it directed the Censor Board to make a decision by Sep 25. As SC itself observed in the Adipurush case, “everyone is touchy about everything now.” By entertaining petitions over “hurt sensibilities” and becoming arbiters of what is kosher, courts end up granting censorship calls legitimacy they shouldn’t have. GOI should reconstitute the Censor Board appellate tribunal – abolished in 2021 – to hear appeals.