How to File RTI with CBFC for Film Censor Certificate, Cuts Ordered and Certification Criteria

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body established under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, functioning under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. CBFC certifies films for public exhibition in India, issuing certificates in four categories: U (Unrestricted), UA (Parental Guidance for children below a specified age), A (Restricted to Adults), and S (Restricted to specialised audiences such as doctors or scientists). CBFC operates through its headquarters at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi, and through regional offices in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, and Cuttack. CBFC is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

RTI to CBFC is most useful for filmmakers seeking to understand cuts ordered and the reasons behind them, researchers studying the certification process, and citizens interested in how the Board's advisory panel is constituted and how certification decisions are made.

What CBFC Can and Cannot Provide Through RTI

CBFC CAN provide through RTI:

• The complete list of cuts or modifications directed by an Examining Committee as a condition for certification, along with the reasons recorded for each direction
• Examining Committee and Revising Committee composition — names and categories of members who reviewed a specific film
• Advisory panel membership at each regional office — names, categories, and Ministry appointment orders
• Certification criteria and guidelines — the current standards distinguishing U, UA, A, and S certificates under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 and CBFC circulars
• CBFC Board member appointment records — Ministry notifications, selection criteria, and tenure details
• FCAT appeal statistics — aggregate data on Film Certification Appellate Tribunal outcomes by year
• CBFC's internal guidelines and instructions to Examining Committees issued by the Ministry or the Board

CBFC MAY WITHHOLD:

• A third party's film content, script, or creative material submitted as part of another applicant's certification file — Section 8(1)(d) (commercial confidence of a third party) and Section 11 (third-party information)
• Deliberations of the Examining or Revising Committee while a certification proceeding is still ongoing — Section 8(1)(h)
• Internal Ministry files on sensitive policy deliberations, if disclosure would harm national security or public order — Section 8(1)(a)

Note: CBFC cannot refuse to disclose its own certification decisions, the reasons for cuts ordered, or the composition of its committees on the ground that the information is commercially sensitive — these are regulatory decisions of a public authority and must be disclosed.

CBFC's Decision-Making Structure

Understanding how CBFC reaches a certification decision helps frame precise RTI questions.

When a film is submitted for certification, an Examining Committee is constituted at the relevant regional office. This committee comprises a Regional Officer (or Examining Officer) and members drawn from an empanelled advisory panel appointed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The advisory panel includes individuals from various categories: social organisations, literary and artistic fields, child welfare, legal expertise, and other backgrounds specified in the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983.

If the applicant disagrees with the Examining Committee's decision — whether the certificate category, the cuts ordered, or an outright refusal — they may seek a Revising Committee hearing at the same regional office. The Revising Committee is typically larger and includes the Regional Officer and additional advisory panel members. If the Revising Committee upholds the original decision, the applicant may appeal to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) under Section 5C of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

RTI is particularly useful at two stages: after an Examining Committee decision (to understand cuts and reasons before deciding whether to seek revision) and after a final CBFC decision (to build the record for an FCAT appeal).

Filmmakers: Using RTI to Challenge Cuts and Certification Decisions

When an Examining Committee directs cuts or modifications, it is required to record its reasons. These reasons are part of the official CBFC certification file and are disclosable to the applicant (the film's producer or distributor) through RTI.

Key details to include in your RTI:

• Film title and CBFC application or certification number (from the receipt issued by CBFC)
• Date of examination by the Examining Committee
• Certificate category granted (or the basis for refusal)

Ask specifically for:

1. The complete list of scenes or content directed to be cut or modified — specifying reel or timestamp references
2. The reason(s) recorded by the Examining Committee for each cut
3. Whether a Revising Committee was constituted and, if so, its composition and the reasons recorded in the Revising Committee's order

This documented record is essential before filing an FCAT appeal, since the Tribunal reviews whether the Board applied the correct criteria and recorded adequate reasons.

Researchers and Citizens: Transparency in the Certification Process

Journalists, academics, and civil society organisations frequently use RTI to examine whether CBFC's decision-making is consistent, whether advisory panels are representative, and whether the certification criteria are applied uniformly across different types of content.

Useful RTI questions for transparency research include:

• The current composition of the advisory panel at each regional office — names, categories, and appointment dates
• Ministry orders or notifications governing the selection and renewal of advisory panel members
• Aggregate data on the number of films certified under each category in a given year, and the number of films where cuts were directed
• FCAT appeal statistics — how often applicants succeed in reversing CBFC decisions

CBFC cannot invoke commercial confidentiality to withhold this institutional and process data. It relates to the functioning of a public authority, not to the creative or commercial secrets of any private party.

Where to File

CBFC has a headquarters in New Delhi and regional offices in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, and Cuttack. File your RTI at the office that examined your film. For institutional and process questions (advisory panel composition, certification criteria, FCAT statistics), the CPIO at the New Delhi headquarters is appropriate.

File online at rtionline.gov.in:

1. Select Ministry of Information and Broadcasting → Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
2. Draft your questions — include the CBFC application number or film title where the query is film-specific
3. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
4. Submit and note your registration number

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at CBFC within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days. CBFC functions under the Central Government — the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting — so all second appeals under the RTI Act lie with the CIC, not any State Information Commission.

Note: The RTI appeals process described above is separate from the FCAT appeal under Section 5C of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. An FCAT appeal challenges CBFC's certification decision itself; an RTI second appeal to the CIC challenges CBFC's failure to provide information. Both may be pursued simultaneously where relevant.