'Seasoned Judges Manning...': SC Refuses To Entertain Pleas Against 'The Kerala Story', Asks Petitioners To Approach HC

'The Kerala Story', issued an ‘A’ certificate by censor board, has sparked a political storm with the Kerala government and many other parties slamming the film and the makers. 

The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to entertain pleas against the movie ‘The Kerala Story’ asking the petitioners to approach the jurisdictional high court. The plea was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, according to a report by PTI. One of the pleas sought that a disclaimer should be added to the title of the film that it is a work of fiction.

"The reliefs which have been sought under Article 32 can well be pursued in appropriate proceedings before the high court under Article 226," the bench said, adding, "We are not inclined to entertain the petition on that ground. We leave it open to the petitioners to move the appropriate high court."  

An advocate appearing on behalf of one of the petitioners said a petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court against the movie and it is listed for hearing on May 5, the day when the film is scheduled to be released pan India, as per the report. 

The bench observed, "Seasoned judges are manning the high court. They are aware of local circumstances. Why should we become a super (Article) 226 court?".

It asked the petitioners to approach the high court and said it can consider their request for early disposal of their pleas.

The film, issued an ‘A’ certificate by the censor board, has sparked a political storm with the Kerala government and many other parties slamming the film and the makers. 

On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the film's makers in a Facebook post, saying they were taking up the Sangh Parivar propaganda of projecting the state as a centre of religious extremism by raising the issue of love jihad.’ 

'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, is portrayed as "unearthing" the events behind "approximately 32,000 women" allegedly going missing in the southern state. The film claims they converted, got radicalised, and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world.