Bengaluru, 23 September (IANS) The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued an interim migration at the Multiplex and Cinema Hall across the state on the Congress -led government -led government order capping movie ticket prices.
This order is Justice Ravi V. Was passed by a bench headed by Hosmany.
The Multiplex Association of India and other parties have filed a petition before the High Court seeking interim relief from the government’s order in this regard and challenged Rule 2025 of Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) (Amendment) (Amendment), which is about capping of price of Rs 200.
The petitioners claimed that the order of the state government is against the Karnataka Cinema (Regulation) Rules 1964. He claimed that this rule is imposed unilaterally without consulting stakeholders.
The Karnataka High Court had reserved a decision on the Karnataka government’s order to cap on the price of a movie ticket price in Bengaluru on 16 September and across the state for Rs 200 across the state.
Senior advocate Mukul Rhatgi, who appeared for the Multiplex Association of India, presented that the government has a new status pair in a rule related to cinema regulation in Karnataka, and this new situation is unfair, inappropriate, arbitrary and no logical reason.
He further said that the price of the ticket has been fixed at Rs 200. What is the reason for determining this fixed value? If a customer is ready to pay more for additional luxury or better services, there is no justification for applying the same flat rule for all without considering individual options.
He said that a similar order was passed by the government in April 2017. The matter was challenged before the High Court, and the order in this regard was zero. Subsequently, the government withdrew the order. Now, the government is trying to do so by amending the rule.
Senior advocate Rohatgi presented, “He is arguing that the government or the authority should not put a certain ticket price as business services or quality levels hopes to charge various prices on the basis of quality levels. Investing money. Freedom should be freedom for pricing based on market dynamics, and the law cannot determine a fixed price. There may not be a direction that all airlines should be in the economy class.”
Hundreds of cinema businesses are being negatively affected by this new rule, and therefore, the implementation of this Proviso should be temporarily suspended until the court takes a final decision on the matter, begged.
Senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, who appeared for Homebell Films, said that making a rule under the guise of amending the rule is completely illegal.
Additional Advocate General S. Ismail Zabiullah, appeared for the state, presented that the decision to fix the ticket price has been made in the public interest.
The right to regulation in this regard has been provided by the Constitution. A law can be killed. If it is more than the power of the legislature, violates fundamental rights, opposes the constitution, or is clearly unfair, he underlined.
On September 13, the Karnataka government has issued new rules for capping movie ticket prices at 200 rupees (except taxes) across the state, marking cinema entertainment to make cinema entertainment more economical to the public.
The government said that the price limit applies after the amendment of the state government in Karnataka Cinema (Control) Rules, 2014. The new rules will officially be known as Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
The Karnataka government had issued new rules for capping movie ticket prices for Rs 200 except taxes across the state, with the aim of making film tickets more economical for the public.
The price limit declared on 12 September came into force after the amendment of the state government in the Karnataka Cinema (Control) Rules, 2014. The new rules will officially be known as Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
However, CAP includes a notable exception. Multi-screen theaters with 75 seats or less premium features will be exempted from price restrictions, allowing them to maintain their current pricing structure.
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