New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Oct 15, 2004) stayed a decision of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) imposing a seven weeklong moratorium on the screening of non-Kannada films in the State.

It also issued notices to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on a petition filed by Gemini Films apprehending similar ban orders in the other three States.

A Bench comprising Justice N Santosh Hegde and Justice S B Sinha passed this order when the petition was mentioned before it by counsel D K Garg who contended that the moratorium violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner who produces films.

The notices to States other than Karnataka was issued, when the petitioner's counsel expressed apprehension that similar ban orders could be passed by these States as a reaction to the situation prevailing in Karnataka.

Gemini Films said that the moratorium on non-Kannada films violated the fundamental rights to profession, equality and right to life as it prohibited exhibition of the films produced by it.

Cinema theatres across Karnataka were closed yesterday (Oct 14, 2004) and exhibitors rejected a Government plea to put on hold screening of non-Kannada films, deepening the crisis gripping the State film industry over a seven-week moratorium on release of non-Kannada films. As Kannada film producers and directors put pressure on the Government to impose the moratorium and exhibitors said they would not follow it, Chief Minister N Dharam Singh called a meeting with theatre owners to end the deadlock but it failed.