The Madras High Court has issued notice to the Central Government on a plea directing the Government to immediately intervene and take appropriate steps to regulate and publish movies, web series, serials, and other programs broadcasted on the OTT website as per the current censorship system and regulate OTT platforms.

The bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice Victoria Gowri issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information Broadcasting, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Ministry of Information Technology, Central Board of Film Certification, Home Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government and the Director General of Police, Live Law reported.

The petitioner, Advocate Adhisivam argued that since there was no censorship over the OTT platforms, movies, web series and serials were being aired through these platforms which contained violence, drug abuse, obscene speech, scenes of crime against women and children, separatist scenes and anti-national views, and scenes supporting extremist views.

He contended that web series creators had a habit of twisting history for their political gain and showing unimaginable violence and nudity without any censorship. He argued that the OTT platforms don’t allow films that portray a nationalist to make films that focus on the integrity and unity of India.