National awards to be announced next week: Dasmunsi

Mumbai, Apr 19 (UNI) Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today said the National Awards for 2005 were likely to be announced next week.

Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of the mahurat of Jahanu Barua's forthcoming film 'Har Pall', Mr Dasmunsi said the Supreme Court had upheld the Government's policy with regard to National Awards.

''The announcement of the awards will be made next week and the committee to select the awards for the year 2006 would also be set up at the same time,'' he added.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had scrapped a Bombay High Court judgment on petitions by documentary filmmakers Gaurav Ashwin Jani, Anand Patwardhan and Simantini Dhuru, saying that courts couldn't assume the role of policy maker.

The petitioners had challenged the policy of exempting films produced by Film Institutes and Doordarshan from certification, while insisting on such certification in cases of other films for entry for the National Film Awards.

The Bombay HC had asked the directorate of films to permit filmmakers to enter their films in digital format, without any certification from the Central Board of Film Certification. It had held that the certification requirement violated Article 14 of the constitution and was therefore, invalid.

UNI