Rajyavardhan Rathore says no consensus reached on recommendations for CBFC functioning by Shyam Benegal committee

The recommendations of the Shyam Benegal-headed panel on the functioning of the censor board require amendment in the Cinematograph Act and consensus on them could not be reached after two rounds of consultative meetings on the issue in 2017, the government said on Thursday.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, in a written response to a question in Lok Sabha on the recommendations of the Committee of Experts chaired by Benegal, said the panel submitted first part of its report in April 2016, and the final part in June 2016.

The recommendations contained in the report require amendment in the Cinematograph Act and Rules and it was felt that their implementation, especially those requiring important amendments in the Act, be done after further consultations, he said.

“A consultation meeting between the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Minister of Law and Justice, Minister of Finance and Minister of Human Resource Development was held on 16 March, 2017, to deliberate on the issue of repeal or amendment of the Cinematograph Act,” Rathore said.

“Another round of consultation in this regard by the then Minister with Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the representatives of Film Industries was held on 6 June, 2017, at Mumbai. However, consensus could not be arrived at in respect of many of the recommendations made by the Committee,” the minister said.

To a question on whether the government proposes to introduce legislation to remove the powers of pre-censorship of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Rathore said there is no such proposal under consideration by the government.