JUDGMENT

A.M. Khanwilkar, J.

1. The petitioners have filed the present writ petition on 25th January, 2018, in the backdrop of mob violence, protests and demonstrations which erupted across the nation in the recent past, especially against cultural programmes and establishments and the ensuing damage to public and private properties arising out of such violence. Petitioner No. 1 is a registered film society and petitioner no. 2, is a member of the petitioner no.1 film society. They have highlighted law and order problems arising out of the release of several films, especially the violence surrounding the release of the film ‘Padmaavat’, and submit that fundamentalist outfits and fringe groups have been issuing threats and engaging in acts of violence against people and property to disrupt and prevent public exhibitions of these films on the pretext that they offend their cultural/religious sentiments. These groups engage in violence against artistic expression, with utter impunity and show complete disregard for the rule of law and constitutional values. The films which are pro