**Executive Summary**
This document provides the response from the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs to Unstarred Question No. 781 regarding delays in film certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to be answered on February 4, 2026. It addresses complaints about certification delays, challenges to film certification decisions, and measures to strengthen grievance redressal. The document includes data on film certifications and appeals since 2021.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **CBFC Operations:**
* The CBFC functions according to the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
* The prescribed time limit for film certification is 48 working days.
* **Certification Time:**
* The average time for film certification, with the implementation of the Online Certification System, is 18 working days for feature films and 3 working days for short films.
* **Appeals Data (Since 2021):**
* The document includes a table showing the year-wise number of films certified, challenged before Revising Committees (RC), and challenged before High Courts (HC) from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
* The time taken for disposal of films in the Revising Committee is within the timeframe prescribed under Rule 37(7) of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
* **Grievance Redressal:**
* The Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, provide a multi-level grievance redressal mechanism, allowing applicants to appeal to a Revising Committee.
**Impact Analysis**
**Applicants for Film Certification**
* **Impact:** Applicants are the primary stakeholders. They are affected by the processing time for film certifications, and any delays.
* **Action Required:** Applicants can utilise the grievance redressal mechanism to appeal to a Revising Committee if they are unsatisfied.
**CBFC**
* **Impact:** The CBFC is responsible for ensuring timely and efficient film certification in accordance with the Cinematograph Act and related rules.
* **Action Required:** The CBFC must continue to adhere to the established timelines and provide a functional grievance redressal mechanism.
**Revising Committees (RC)**
* **Impact:** The RC will have to review applications or grievances.
* **Action Required:** The RC will have to dispose of films within the specified timeframe under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC): The primary regulatory body responsible for film certification mentioned in the context of delays and grievance redressal.
Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024: Rules governing the functions of the CBFC
Cinematograph Act, 1952: The principal law under which the CBFC operates and which contains the norms related to grievance redressal.
Revising Committees: Bodies to which appeals can be made regarding film certifications
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: The ministry to which the question is addressed and which oversees the CBFC.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 781
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026
DELAY IN FILM CERTIFICATION BY THE CBFC
781: SMT. PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA:
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has received complaints regarding the inordinate delay in film
certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and if so, the details thereof
including any action taken in this regard;
(b) the number of film certification decisions challenged before Revising Committees and High
Courts since the abolition of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in 2021, year-
wise;
(c) the average time taken for disposal of such appeals and the number of films whose release
was delayed as a result, year-wise since 2021;
(d) the details of instances since 2021 in which the CBFC has re-examined certified films; and
(e) the details of measures taken to strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism for
applicants?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(DR. L. MURUGAN)
(a) to (e): The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) functions in accordance with the
Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. Under Rule 37of the said Rules, the prescribed time limit for certification of films is 48 working days. With
the implementation of the Online Certification System, the present average time taken for
certification is 18 working days for feature films and 3 working days for short films.
The year-wise details of films certified for theatre release by CBFC, decisions challenged
before the Revising Committees (RC) and various High Courts (HC) since the abolition of the
Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in 2021 are given below:
Year 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
till date
Total films certified 2031 2777 2837 2687 2248
Challenged before RC 25 46 49 38 55
Challenged before HC 2 4 1 4 10
The time taken for disposal of films in the Revising Committee is within the timeframe
prescribed under Rule 37(7) of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
The extant norms under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph (Certification)
Rules, 2024, provide for a multi-level grievance redressal mechanism, allowing applicants to
appeal to a Revising Committee.
*****