Chennai: The Madras High Court will deliver its verdict on January 27 on the appeal relating to the grant of screening permission for Jana Nayagan, starring TVK leader Vijay. With this, it has become clear that the film will not reach theatres even during the Republic Day holiday.

Jana Nayagan, believed to be Vijay’s final film before he moves into full-time politics, was slated by the distributors for a theatrical release on January 9, ahead of Pongal. However, the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification decided to refer the issue of granting screening permission to a revising committee, following which the matter reached the court.

On the morning of January 9, a High Court Bench headed by Justice P T Asha ordered that the film be granted screening permission immediately with a U/A certificate. Challenging this, the CBFC filed an appeal the same day, and a Bench led by the Chief Justice took up the matter at 3.30 pm and issued a stay order. The producers then approached the Supreme Court, but the apex court referred the matter back to the High Court.

The Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice M M Srivastava and Justice G Arun Murugan, concluded hearing arguments in the case on Tuesday. After hearing submissions from the CBFC and the film’s producers, the court reserved its order. Court sources said on Friday that the verdict on the petition will be delivered at 10.30 am on January 27.