66th National Film Awards winners to be declared after Lok Sabha elections 2019

The winners of the 66th National Film Awards will be declared after the general elections come to an end. The National Film Awards winners are usually named in the month of April every year, but with the 17th Lok Sabha polls this year, it has been pushed to after the elections are over.

A press release on Wednesday said that this year, the elections to the 17th Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of four states are underway. The National Film Awards also include an honour for the most film friendly state. Since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force, which facilitates level playing field to all political parties and the candidates and inter alia seeks to ensure that the power of media is not used in such a manner which affects the general conduct and level playing field during the election process, it has been decided to declare the awards after the election process is over and the MCC concludes.

The National Film Awards honours the best of Indian cinema in an event that takes place in New Delhi on May 3 every year. The date this year is yet to be declared. 2019's event will see films of the past year in competition.

In 2018, the National Film Awards saw President Ram Nath Kovind honouring late Vinod Khanna with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest award to recognise controbution to film. Assamese film Village Rockstars was declared the Best Feature Film, while Baahubali 2: The Conclusion won the honour of the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

Bengali actor Riddhi Sen won the Best Actor award for his work in Bengali film Nagarkirtan, while Sridevi, who breathed her last in February 2018, was named the Best Actress posthumously for the film Mom.

ALSO READ: 65th National Film Awards complete winners list

ALSO READ: Vinod Khanna honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2018

ALSO WATCH: The best of National Film Awards 2016