Ramadoss To Challenge Court's Ruling To Lift Smoking Ban In Films

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has said that he will challenge the decision of the court overturning a central ban on smoking in films.

Ramadoss said the court decision was divided and the Central Government's decision to ban smoking in films was based on the decision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) not to glorify smoking by projecting it in movies.

"Definitely we are going to challenge it because in the High Court it was a divided decision like, divided verdict like. ...one judge was accepting and one judge was not, then it went to other judges but we are taking a decision based on scientific evidence," he said.

On January 23, the Delhi High Court had struck down the Central Government's plea of banning smoking scenes in films on the ground that onscreen smoking is a part of the artist's creative licence.

The ruling came after film director Mahesh Bhatt challenged the government's order to ban smoking scenes in films.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul struck down the rules framed by Centre, saying, "Director of films should not have multifarious authorities breathing down their necks when indulging in a creative act."

Source-ANI
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