The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Government of Tamil Nadu, seeking its response to a writ petition filed by producer-director Sohan Roy, challenging the six-month ban the government imposed on the screening of his film 'Dam 999' in the State.

A bench of justices, A K Ganguly and J S Khehar posted the matter for further hearing to January 13. The State had banned the film on the ground that it would pose law and order problems as it made apparent references to the Mullaiperiyar dam which is the bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The State government had initially banned the film for two weeks; after giving the petitioner a personal hearing, it passed an order on December 16 last year, extending the ban for six months.

Opposing this, the petitioner filed the writ petition seeking quashing of the order. Sohan Roy alleged that the ban was extended without any valid reason. Passed under Section 7 the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1955, the order went against the Constitution, violating as it did Entry 60 of the Union List of Schedule VII of the Constitution, he said.

'Dam 999' Trailers