How Films Are Certified – Free PDF Download

Context

• Bombay High Court recently pulled up the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for refusing to give a ‘U’ certificate to a Children’s film.

SET UP OF CBFC

• The CBFC is headed by the Chairperson.
• The board comprises up to 25 members and 60 advisory panel members
• The chairperson and board members serve for three years, and advisory panel members for two years.
• Once a filmmaker applies for certification, an Examining Committee is appointed by the Regional Officer.
• In case of short films, it consists of a member of the advisory panel and an examining officer.
• Else, it has four members from the advisory panel and an examining officer of who two persons are to be women.

Process

• Certification— unrestricted public exhibition (U), parental guidance for children below age 12 (U/A), adult (A), or viewing by specialised groups (S) — is decided by the Regional Officer based on reports by Examining Committee members.

Incase Applicant has reservations …

• If the applicant is unhappy with the certification or the list of changes, he or she can apply to the Revising Committee, which is made of the Chairperson and up to nine committee members from both the board and the advisory panel.
• The last point of appeal is the Appellate Tribunal
• Any further dispute can be taken to a court.

Section 5(b)

• CBFC is a certification board and not the censorship board anymore with wider intervention by judiciary.
• It states that a film shall not be certified if any part of it is against the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or involves defamation or contempt of court or is likely to incite commission of any offence

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