NFC CASE: DSG CHALLENGES COURT’S JURISDICTION

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Sumathi Dharmawardena challenged the jurisdiction of the Colombo District Court in the case against the distribution of films by the National Film Corporation (NFC).

Appearing for the National Film Corporation, DSG Dharmawardena contended that according to the Film Corporation Act, the sole authority to administer cinemas, the film industry, the executive powers and distribution was vested with NFC.

He said the District Court did not have jurisdiction to inquire into the case filed by the four companies viz. EAP Films and Theatres Ltd., Movie Producers and Importers Ltd., Lanka Films Distributors Company Limited and Cinema Entertainment (Pvt) Limited. He said the plaintiffs should seek relief from relevant courts and not from the District Court.

District Judge R.P.D P.P. Ratnayake ordered the four plaintiffs’ counsel PC Parthalingham to file objections against the DSG’S stance in court on August 6. He also reserved for that date to pronounce the court’s standpoint on interviewing the parties’ request to enter into the case. The court further extended its enjoining order preventing NFC from distributing films until August 6.

The plaintiffs had filed this case in the District Court over the government’s decision to hand over the distribution of films through NFC. The plaintiffs said the exercise of a strict policy by NFC towards the private sector would reduce the margin of the private sector and the revenue of distribution companies.

They said NFC’S monopoly in the local cinema industry had not proved effective both in formulating policies to meet new developments and in the management of distributing local films and other related activities.