Telangana High Court initiates suo motu contempt proceeding over memo hiking movie ticket prices

While the court set aside the government memo hiking ticket prices for The Raja Saab on January 9, the memo dated January 8 was made available to the public only on January 10. A house motion moved by the petitioner on January 10 against the memo hiking ticket prices for Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu was not taken up by the court, and the petitioner was directed to return after the Sankranthi vacation.

On Tuesday, Justice N V Shravan Kumar heard a writ petition filed by advocate Dachepally Chandra Babu challenging the government memo allowing the hike in movie ticket prices for Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu. Advocate Vijay Gopal, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that in spite of the order dated January 9, the respondent no.1 placed the January 8 government memo in the public domain on January 10.

‘Failed to answer’

The court noted that the assistant government pleader failed to answer when questioned why the issuance of the January 8 government memo was not brought to the notice of the court during the hearing of the matter relating to The Raja Saab on January 9.

Vijay Gopal urged the court to declare the price hike granted by the home department (respondent no. 1) to Shine Screens (respondent no. 3) as irrational and legally flawed on the grounds that it was done without verifying the specific production budget, reviewing the movie maker’s source of funds or income/expenditure statements, or backed by a sworn affidavit from the producer to substantiate financial claims.

The court also suo motu impleaded the managing director of the Telangana Film Development Corporation (TFDC) as respondent no. 4 in the writ petition after it was noticed that a copy of the January 8 memo was issued to the TFDC MD.

‘Decide on price hike 90 days in advance’

The court, meanwhile, allowed an interlocutory application filed by the petitioner and ordered that any decision on hiking the ticket prices henceforth should be made 90 days in advance, before the movie release date, as mandated by section 7A of the Telangana Cinemas Regulation Act 1955. The petitioner had argued that it would allow the stakeholders, including the audience, to file for a review of the decision.

“Having considered the above facts and circumstance and if in future, the Government takes a decision to hike the movie ticket prices, the respondent Nos.1 and 2 are directed to place such decision in the public domain before ninety (90) days prior to release of the movie, enabling the interested person to file application under Section 7A of the TG Cinemas Regulation Act, 1955,” the court ordered.

The matter was adjourned for further hearing on February 3, along with the writ petitions challenging memo hiking the prices of movie tickets for The Raja Saab.