The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking ban on the trailer of the film Accidental Prime Minister. The PIL had contended that “film producers had no authority to violate the mandate of the Constitution of India which provides respect towards constitutional functionaries”.

The single-judge bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru dismissed the petition without going into the merits of the petition.

The plea filed by Pooja Mahajan has alleged that provisions of the Cinematograph Act are being misused and the film producer has released the trailer affecting, harming the image of the office of the prime minister and giving a bad name at the national and international level.

“By performing the character of Manmohan Singh, (ex-PM), Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, the performing actors/ artists have committed offences punishable under sections 416 (cheating by impersonation) of the IPC and therefore, the CBFC could not have given the certificate for screening/ exhibition of the film,” the plea read.

—India Legal Bureau