The South Indian Film Artistes’ Association, popularly known as the Nadigar Sangam, has appealed to the Election Commission (EC) to permit release of movies and staging of plays during the run-up to the Assembly elections and also during the polling.

A letter signed to this effect, by office-bearers of the Sangam, was handed over to Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni by Vice-President N.S. Ponvannan at the Secretariat in Chennai.

It said that the livelihood of more than 1,000 people was connected to South Indian cinema and so the appeal.

According to the Sangam, the ban on staging of plays during the last general elections had affected artistes to a great extent. It had led to great financial difficulty. It did not want a repeat of such an incidence.

Plays were staged mainly over six months that covered the festival period in the State and the earnings made during this phase was the only source of livelihood for these artistes.

Hence the Sangam had appealed to the EC for a blanket permission to screen movies and stage plays.