In a significant setback for Kangana Ranaut's film 'Emergency', the Bombay High Court on Wednesday declined to order the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a certification for the movie.
A division bench comprising Justices BP Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla stated that they could not issue any directives since the Madhya Pradesh High Court had already instructed the CBFC to consider objections to the film before certifying it.
"The Madhya Pradesh High Court has given specific directions to the CBFC. If we provide any relief today, it would directly conflict with that order. We cannot ask the CBFC to violate another High Court's order. Judicial propriety requires us to refrain from such actions," the bench remarked.
The Bombay High Court further directed the CBFC to address the objections raised against the film and make a decision on its certification by September 18.
"We are aware that other factors may be at play, but we do not wish to comment on them. The CBFC must consider the objections and make a decision by September 18," the court added.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 19.
This development comes a day after Zee Entertainment Enterprises, the co-producer of *Emergency*, approached the Bombay High Court seeking the film's release and certification.
The petition filed by the production company alleged that the CBFC had "arbitrarily and illegally" withheld the film's certification. It also claimed that the CBFC was prepared to issue the certificate but had not done so.
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