Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court today (Sep 29, 2004) ordered issue of notices to the State Government, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president in a public interest petition challenging the seven-week moratorium imposed on release of non-Kannada films in the State.

Chief Justice N K Jain and V G Sabhahit, constituting a division bench, also ordered issue of notice to K P Pandey, who heads a high-level committee constituted by the Karnataka Government to look into the problems of Kannada film industry.

The Court also ordered that the issuance of notice and pendaency of the petition would not preclude the authorities to settle the issue in accordance with law.

The petitioner, S Vasudeva, an advocate, prayed for quashing the proceedings before the high-level committee and also for a direction to remove the seven-week embargo on release of non-Kannada films.

The petitioner submitted that the general public had been put to great difficulty in not getting access to entertainment and that the action to impose moratorium had been taken by authorities at the instance of the film chamber.

The embargo would disturb social harmony and it had led to the closure of theatres out of "sheer fear psychosis", the petitioner said, contending that the embargo was illegal without authority of law and in violation of the constitution.

The petitioner said the authorities had issued oral communication on moratorium. The judges adjourned further hearing of the petition.