KATHMANDU, June 27: Patan High Court has ruled that Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balen Shah does not have the authority to prohibit the screening of Indian films.

Responding to a petition filed by the Film Association of Nepal, the high court on Tuesday issued an interim order instructing Mayor Balen to refrain from banning the Indian movies.

The high court judges, Hariprasad Paudel and Narayan Prasad Paudel, ruled that Mayor Balen Shah lacks the power to ban licensed Indian films produced by filmmakers unrelated to the controversial movie, Adipurush.

The court order explicitly states, "As per the existing laws, including the Local Government Operation Act 2074, the mayor does not possess the authority to ban the screening of licensed Indian films."

Consequently, the court has directed that the screening of licensed Indian films should proceed uninterrupted until a final verdict is delivered.

Mayor Balen Shah had demanded the removal of a dialogue from the Indian movie Adipurush, claiming that it implied that Janaki, the protagonist, is the daughter of India. However, as the dialogue was not removed within the three-day ultimatum given by the mayor, he subsequently announced a ban on all Indian films, including Adipurush, within the theaters of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Following Mayor Shah’s announcement, no new Indian movies have been screened in Kathmandu's theaters. Following the controversial decision of the mayor, the Film Association of Nepal had filed a writ petition in the Patan High Court challenging the ban imposed by the mayor.

Earlier on June 22, High Court Judge Dhir Bahadur Chand had issued an interlocutory order to suspend the implementation of Mayor Shah’s decision. Both parties were summoned to attend a discussion on the matter. After thorough deliberations, the high court issued an interim order on Tuesday, instructing the mayor not to obstruct the screening of Indian films until a final verdict is delivered.

 
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