.[1].

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION NO.1448 OF 2006

1. Gaurav Ashwin Jani, )

of Bombay, Indian Inhabitant, )

residing at 63 - J Gitanjali )

Society, Raheja Township, )

Malad - East, Mumbai-97. )

2. Anand Patwardhan, of )

Bombay, Indian Inhabitant, )

residing at 22, Lokmanya )

Tilak Colony Marg No.2, )

Dadar (East), )

Mumbai-4000 014. )

3. Simantini Dhuruv, of )

Bombay, Indian Inhabitant, )

residing at 3, Navalkar )

Building, 29-B, Opera )

House, Bombay. ) ..PETITIONERS.

Versus

1. The Director, )

Directorate of Film Festivals )

(NFA) Ministry of Information )

and Broadcasting, Siri Fort )

Auditorium Complex, New )

August Kranti Marg, New )

Delhi 1100 49. )

2. The Ministry of Information )

and Broadcasting, the )

Government of India, )

New Delhi. )

3. Union of India, )

through Law Officer, )

Legal Department, )

Ayakar Bhavan, New )

Marine Line, )

Mumbai-400 032. ) ..RESPONDENTS.

....

Mr.P.A.Sebastian,Advocate for the Petitioners.

Mr.Y.R.Mishra with Mr.N.R.Prajapati, Advocates

.[2].

for the Respondents.

....

CORAM : F.I.REBELLO AND

F.I.REBELLO AND

F.I.REBELLO AND

SMT.V.K.TAHILRAMANI,JJ.

SMT.V.K.TAHILRAMANI,JJ.

SMT.V.K.TAHILRAMANI,JJ.

DATED : JULY 27, 2006.

JULY 27, 2006.

JULY 27, 2006.

JUDGMENT (PER F.I.REBELLO,J.)

1. The petitioners herein have approached this

Court challenging Regulations 10(d) and 10(e) of

he 53rd National Film Awards Regulations as

violative of Article 14 and Article 19(1)(a) of

the Constitution of India. Consequential relief

by way of mandamus have also been prayed for. The

two Regulations which are subject matter of this

Petition reads as under :

"ELIGIBILITY :

10(d)

10(d)

10(d) Films made in any Indian language,

shot on 16 mm, 35 mm or in a wider gauge or

digital format but released on a film

format and certified by the Central Board

of Film Certification as a feature film or

featurette are eligible for feature film

section. In the case of award for Best

Children’s Film only such films shall be

eligible as have been certified by the