The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is asking for affidavits from film-makers that they will not release any part of their film on social media without getting a certification first.

The CBFC certification is required to telecast films or trailers/teasers in theatres and TV channels, as per law. Though there is no statute for 'social media', film-makers in Bengaluru are being forced by the CBFC's regional office to sign an affidavit in this regard. Most film-makers, for more than a month now, are signing up to avoid any trouble.

Advocate KV Dhananjay said that seeking such an affidavit is illegal. "Most people already know that our laws impose prior censorship on all theatrical content and some television content. However, there is no law in this country that imposes any prior restraint on any content on the social media. Period. In this background, the demanding of affidavits by the regional office of the CBFC is both foolish and blatantly illegal. Also, there is a general rule of law that says that affidavits about future conduct cannot be demanded or received unless such future conduct is strictly governed by some law in force; in this case, the very solemnity of affidavits is lost as there is simply no underlying law at all," he said.