Bombay HC Asks State Govt To Reduce Food Prices At Cinema Halls, Allow Visitors To Carry Personal Food Items

To regulate the price of food items inside the cinema halls, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the State Government why are people not allowed to carry food items inside cinema halls, when vendors sell them at exorbitant prices.

While questioning the State Government, Court said, “If cinema halls do not allow patrons to carry food inside, then how can vendors be allowed to sell inside the cinema hall at an exorbitant price?” reports The Hindu.

Further, the State Government told the court on Wednesday that it has already started its work and would soon formulate a policy on the same. However, the petitioner lawyer informed the court that even after 10 weeks of previous order, no state official came forward to file the affidavit. In response to it, a Government pleader said that we need more time to file the affidavit.

The bench comprised of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice Makarand Karnik said, “It is not accepted that cinema halls are allowing vendors to sell food inside while banning outside food.” “The authorities of cinema halls cannot compel patrons to buy food articles at high prices,” the bench added.

Highlights Of PIL

A PIL was filed by a Mumbai citizen Jainendra Baxi with the help of his lawyer Aditya Pratap. The plea claimed that there is no rule or legal provision that prohibits an individual from carrying food items or water bottle inside the movie theatres.

Pratap also highlighted the fact that the Maharashtra Cinemas Rules (121), 1966 imposed restrictions on the vendors to sell food inside auditoriums and theatres.

Baxi stated that the ban breached the ‘Right to life’ of medically unfit persons and senior citizens, as they are restricted to carry their personal food articles and water bottles inside the theatres.

Notably, the PIL stated that being the licensing authority for multiplexes and picture halls, it is the duty of Maharashtra Government to ensure that fundamental rights of citizens are not harmed inside the theatres. It added that even after providing representations to the Government for getting the problem rectified, the assigned authorities did not respond to his pleas.

The PIL will be heard next on June 12. The state government has said that new policy will be framed within 6 weeks.

The Logical Indian believes that price of food articles should be reduced in such a way that neither a customer nor a seller faces loss. It is true that snacks, wafers, popcorns and even water are overcharged. Consumers have to pay extra Rs. 15 on a 250 ml bottle of soft drink which is sold at Rs. 28 in the market.