Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has raised its objection to the filing of several implead petitions on an exhibition of the Chintamani Natakam and said. “We might not be able to take up hearing on the main petition if we continue getting more petitions.”
A division bench of Chief Justice Prashanth Mishra and Justice Satyanarayana Murthy was hearing a petition challenging the state government’s ban on the exhibition of Chintamani Natakam.
Senior advocate Vedula Venkataramana told the court that an implead petition has been filed. He sought the court’s permission to argue the case, saying that a character in the play was undermining the importance of the Arya Vysya community. “Please admit me as a respondent.”
Advocates Ravikumar and Saikumar told the court that they too filed implead petitions separately on behalf of Arya Vysyas and that they too be admitted as respondents in the case.
The court raised objection to the filing of too many implead petitions and wondered, if so, when it could take up hearing on the main petition. Senior advocate Venkataramana told the court that as they filed the first implead petition, it should be accepted for hearing.
However, the court said if other implead petitions are withdrawn, it would allow the first implead petition for hearing. Accordingly, the two advocates said they were withdrawing their implead petitions.
Petitioner’s counsel Umesh Chandra submitted that the Chintamani play was being exhibited for more than 100 years and wondered how the whole play could be banned now on the ground that an objection has been raised against a character.
He informed the court that a ban on the exhibition of the play would deprive thousands of artists of their livelihood.
The court said no one should make a living by hurting the sentiments of a section of the people. It issued a direction to serve notices to the respondents and posted the case for next hearing after two weeks.
