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Bengaluru Law School Cancels Umar Khalid Documentary Screening
A student group at a law school in Bengaluru planned to show a documentary about Umar Khalid.
The group cancelled the event after the film certification board said the documentary was not certified.
The board said showing an uncertified film publicly could violate the Cinematograph Act unless an exemption was obtained.
The cancellation happened two days after a similar event was cancelled at a technology institute in Hyderabad.
The Bengaluru screening had already been postponed after a student group objected.
Umar Khalid has been in jail custody for six years in a case about the 2020 Delhi riots.
The trial in that case has not started.
Supporters of the screening and the objecting group therefore differed over whether the event should proceed.
The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, cancelled a screening of Prisoner No: 626710 is Present.
Organisers cited the Central Board of Film Certification’s statement that the documentary had not been certified.
The cancellation came two days after the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, cancelled the same screening.
The screening was initially scheduled for September 14 but was postponed after an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad objection.
The documentary concerns Umar Khalid, who has been in judicial custody for six years in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, whose trial has not begun.
- Who
- The Law and Society Committee at the National Law School of India University, the Central Board of Film Certification, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and Umar Khalid.
- What
- A planned screening of the documentary Prisoner No: 626710 is Present was cancelled.
- Where
- The National Law School of India University in Bengaluru; the earlier cancellation occurred at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad.
- When
- The Bengaluru screening was initially scheduled for September 14; the cancellation was reported on Sunday, two days after a similar cancellation in Hyderabad.
- Why
- The organisers cited the film’s lack of certification, while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had also objected to the screening.
Certification and Cancellation
Screening and Event Organisers
Whether the documentary could be publicly shown
Certification and Cancellation
The Central Board of Film Certification said showing a documentary that had not been certified was a violation of the 1952 Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption had been obtained.
Screening and Event Organisers
The student committee had organised the screening, but cancelled it after the certification objection; the articles do not state a separate legal argument from the organisers.
Whether the event should be cancelled permanently
Certification and Cancellation
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad objected to the screening and asked Union ministers for its permanent cancellation and an inquiry into the university administration.
Screening and Event Organisers
The Law and Society Committee initially scheduled the screening and later postponed it; the articles do not report a public response from the committee supporting or opposing permanent cancellation.
Key facts
- Documentary
- Prisoner No: 626710 is Present
- Bengaluru venue
- National Law School of India University
- Earlier cancellation
- International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
- Certification issue
- The Central Board of Film Certification said the documentary had not been certified.
- Legal reference
- The certification board cited the 1952 Cinematograph Act.
- Subject of documentary
- Umar Khalid
- Related case
- The 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, in which the trial has not begun
Sources
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