Film Certification Appellate Tribunal abolished, celebrities react

The Indian Ministry of Law and Justice has dissolved the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) with immediate effect. 

The FCAT was constituted in 1983 to hear appeals of filmmakers aggrieved by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) orders when a release of a film stuck because of a certification issue. 

Now, with the tribunal gone, the filmmakers will have to go to the High Court to address their concerns in lieu of films

The FCAT was introduced as a statutory body constituted through Section 5D of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (37 of 1952) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. It had its headquarters in New Delhi.

Soon after the abolition of FCAT, filmmakers including Hansal Mehta, Vishal Bharadwaj, Guneet Monga, and actor Richa Chadha took to their social media platforms to criticise the move.

Bhardwaj wrote, "Such a sad day for cinema FILM CERTIFICATION APPELLATE TRIBUNAL ABOLISHED | 6 April, 2021"

Mehta tweeted: "Do the high courts have a lot of time to address film certification grievances? How many film producers will have the means to approach the courts? The FCAT discontinuation feels arbitrary and is definitely restrictive. Why this unfortunate timing? Why take this decision at all?"