New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on October 29 issued notice to the Centre on a petition seeking to ban films and advertisements depicting sex, nudity and violence and prevent telecast of fashion shows and beauty contests by TV channels.

Taking cognisance of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to the government to initiate steps to safeguard interests of children, who were adversely affected by the impact of such movies and advertisements shown in cinema halls and on television, a Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice A K Sikri directed the Centre to submit its reply by January 14.

After examining photographs depicting sex and nudity in cinema and advertisements annexed to the petition, the Court said the petitioner has made a "prima facie" case for issuance of show cause notice.

The replies have been sought by the court from the Cabinet secretary, Department of Women and Child Development in the Human Resource Development Ministry, Information and Broadcasting and Central Board of Film Certification.

Stating that "children, who are the future helmsmen of the country must be saved from this onslaught on our culture", the PIL by Madhu Mukul Tripathi alleged that the government has allowed the foreign companies-controlled TV channels to "open floodgates of sex and nudity in India".

"The policy of screening foreign films has been further liberalised with the hitherto applicable quality check, involving a requirement of furnishing the review report of a foreign movie by established magazines, has been done away with," the PIL claimed.

PTI