LAHORE, Oct 14: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a petition for a ban on screening of Indian movies till Nov 3.

The hearing of the petition filed by film producers Aslam Dar and Syed Noor and the managements of Rattan Cinema and Bari Studios was adjourned because of failure of the film censor board and the federal culture ministry to file replies to the petition.The petitioners had submitted that screening of Indian films was being allowed because of absence of any policy of the government on the subject. The continued screening of the Indian movies would destroy the national film industry, they added.

In another case, the LHC ordered publication of notice of Ahmad Khan Bhatti’s election petition for re-polling at PP-118, Mandi Bahauddin, in newspapers for ensuring the presence of the respondent, MPA Zulfiqar Ali Gondal.

The court ordered publication of the notice in a newspaper because the respondent (a retired major) did not appear before it despite the receipt of notice.

The petitioner has sought re-polling in 14 polling stations, alleging rigging and kidnap of polling staff by the respondent during the byelection. He submitted that he had won in the rest of the polling stations.