Due to the high cost of tickets and other facilities in cinemas, the Supreme Court on Monday warned that cinema halls will be forced to run empty in the future if prices are not reduced.
Justice Vikram Nath, who headed a two-judge bench, said this was because he had temporarily stayed the conditions imposed by the Karnataka HC while upholding a stay on the state’s decision to cap cinema tickets at Rs 200.
After a notice on appeal was issued by the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) and two others, the bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, ordered, “In the meantime, the effect and implementation of the impugned order shall remain in abeyance.” A single judge HC on September 23 stayed the operation of the Karnataka Cinema Theaters (Amendment) (Regulation) Rules – 2025, which sought to cap cinema tickets at Rs 200.
On an appeal filed by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, a division bench of the SC on September 30 upheld the single judge order but imposed certain conditions.
The HC has asked cinemas to maintain an auditable record of every ticket sold, including the method of booking and payment. It also directed the issuance of digitally traceable receipts and the signature of the responsible manager on the daily cash registers.
The Supreme Committee directed that if the state’s decision is finally upheld, all amounts collected via electronic means during the linking period must be returned to consumers. Hearing the appeal against the HC order, Justice Nath said “You charge Rs 100 for a bottle of water, Rs 700 for coffee…”
Appearing before MAI, advocate Mukul Rohatgi said: “Taj will charge Rs 1,000 for coffee, can you fix that?” But Justice Nath said it “must be reformed”.
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“It is a matter of choice,” Rohatgi asserted. The judge said, “As things stand, cinema is declining. Make it more reasonable for people to come and enjoy. Otherwise, the halls are empty.”
“Let it be empty, this is for cinemas only. You can go to regular cinemas. Why would you want to come here only,” Rohatgi said. But Justice Nath pointed out that “there are no more ordinary people… We are with the division bench that it should be Rs 200.”
Rohatgi said the conditions ordered by the SC were “unworkable”.
While appearing for another petitioner, senior advocate Shyam Divan contended that the relevant law did not enable the state to fix ticket prices.
The court postponed the case to November 25.
© Indian Express Private Limited
(Tags for translation)Karnataka High Court
