Plea in on-screen smoking case moved to Delhi

The transfer order was passed by a bench of YK Sabharwal, Justice CK Thakker and Justice RV Raveendran.

Supreme Court on Monday transferred two petitions filed in the Madras High Court challenging the Centre's notification banning on-screen smoking to the Delhi High Court, which is already seized of two similar petitions.

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The transfer order was passed by a bench of Chief Justice YK Sabharwal, Justice CK Thakker and Justice RV Raveendran on a petition filed by the Centre.

The bench clarified that the interim orders passed by the Madras High Court and the Delhi High Court shall remain operative unless vacated.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said he had come to know about two similar petitions having been filed in the Bombay High Court.

However, the court said a decision with regard to the Bombay petitions will be taken up when the matter comes up.

Noted film producer Mahesh Bhatt had last year challenged the Centre's notification to ban on-screen smoking.