The Karnataka High Court on Thursday passed an interim order that will make the state government’s notification capping cinema tickets at Rs 200 (excluding taxes) inapplicable on Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. The Karnataka government had introduced the policy on May 2 to implement a “uniform admission fee in all cinema theatres [statewide], including multiplexes”.
The FICCI-Multiplex Association of India and Director of Inox Leisure Ltd Deepak Asher had challenged the state government’s move in court, The Hindu reported. Senior advocate Uday Holla, who is representing the petitioners in the case, argued that though the government had consulted with the association before issuing the directive – as pointing out by Additional Advocate General AG Shivanna – the group had stipulated a number of conditions under which the Rs 200 price cap was acceptable.
After going through the association’s letter to the government, dated March 23, Justice PS Dinesh Kumar held that the cinema body had clearly indicated that the price restriction was not acceptable for Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. The other conditions were excluding multiplexes with “hi-tech, state-of-the-art facilities and amenities” from the government order.
Justice Kumar also took into consideration Holla’s argument that the same limit on ticket prices was fixed for cities in all tiers. Till the case is pending in court, the Rs 200-cap will not apply on Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. The Karnataka government had four weeks to file its objections to the petition, according to The Times of India.
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