Stay on release of The Kerala Story sought in Kerala High Court

A petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking a stay on the release of the film, 'The Kerala Story.'

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain an interlocutory application which sought a stay on the movie.

The movie has generated a lot of buzz and controversy since its trailer was released. The film directed by Sudipto Sen speaks about how girls are allegedly converted and sold off as sex slaves from Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other leaders have sought a ban on the movie stating that it aims are promoting communal tensions.

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court comprising Justices N Nagaresh and Mohammed Dias said that they shall soon consider the plea. The Bench sought to know if the petitioners had approached anybody else in this regard before approaching the HC. To this the petitioner responded that the movie is set to be released on May 5 and there is no breathing time to approach anybody in this matter. We are taken aback, the petitioner also contended.

Earlier a similar plea was mentioned before a Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna. The Bench however objected to the manner in which the plea was raised through an interlocutory application. The Bench said that matters cannot be filed as an interim application in an already pending case. This case involves a certification of a movie by a statutory authority, the Central Board of Film Certification, the Bench said."We cannot tag it. Why don't you move the concerned High Court first. See a board has certified it through a process," Justice Joseph said.