New Delhi, Feb 23 A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court to restrict scenes in movies, television programmes, OTT or advertisements where there is gross disrespect to traffic rules.
As per the petition, such a restriction would help in a similar way as the ban on cigarette and tobacco scenes or advertisements of liquors or tobacco products in our country.
In case such scenes are essential for films, they need to be passed with some disclaimer on-screen (like that of cigarette or tobacco) that "viewers are advised not to indulge in such traffic violations, stunt or racing", etc, the plea added.
The PIL, filed by an NGO 'Tsunami on Roads', said that films and TV have a direct effect on viewers, especially young adolescents, as they are very much inspired by the film stars, therefore, by showing more responsible and objective driving in films and television, this industry can prevent many such fatal accidents by increasing community awareness and understanding about different aspects of road safety, such as causes of accidents and public attitude, etc.
"Therefore a control over such visuals in films and TV in this direction would certainly help to reduce road fatalities in our country," stated the petition.
The plea seeks directions to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to restrict or discourage such scenes in movies, TV programmes or OTT where there is gross disrespect or violation of traffic rules or artists grossly violating traffic rules. Further, it seeks directions to authorities to discourage such advertisements which glamorise and promote unsafe practices.
The petition said that there is a tremendous rise in road accidental deaths, adding that instead of reduction, accidents are increasing with every passing year resulting in fatalities rising from 1.5 lakh in 2021 to 1.7 lakh in 2023.
"It is ironic that all over the world, the highest deaths in road accidents are occurring in India and 40-50 per cent of victims are adolescents or very young group. So there is a need to re-evaluate or analyse our policies for road accidents to know why we are not getting desired results and to take some new innovative measures to control this malady," further said the petition.
As per the cause list published on the website of the Apex Court, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan will hear the matter on February 23.
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