PM Narendra Modi biopic: SC declines urgent hearing of plea challenging Bombay HC order

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has declined urgent hearing of an appeal filed against the Bombay High Court order which had refused to interfere with the release of the Vivek Oberoi-starrer biographical drama on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi while declining urgent hearing on the plea said, "We have better things to do."The plea was mentioned before the Bench by lawyer Brijesh Kumar appearing for petitioner Satish Gaikwad.

Gaikwad is a Pune resident and national president of the Republican Party of India. The appeal in the apex court demanded an immediate stay on the release of the movie. Gaikwad said that if the movie is permitted to be released for public viewing, it would violate the model code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission of India ahead of Lok Sabha election.

The plea also questioned the timing of the movie's release saying if released, it was likely to earn the Prime Minister electoral mileage.

The biopic was initially scheduled for release on April 5 but its release date got postponed to April 11, which falls in the first phase of polling of Lok Sabha elections.

Helmed by Omung Kumar, the film has been criticised by the opposition parties, which believe that the biopic may give an undue advantage to BJP in the polls.