VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday struck down the GO 35 issued by the State government, reducing rates of movie tickets in theatres in municipal corporations, municipalities, Nagar Panchayats and Gram Panchayats. The government issued the GO on April 8 and it was challenged by exhibitors in the High Court.
When the case came up for hearing, government pleader V Maheswara Reddy said the government is empowered to control the prices of movie tickets and the GO was issued after taking into consideration the opinions of exhibitors and distributors. He contended that it was unfair on the part of theatre managements to increase the ticket price based on the budget of a movie. The decision was taken in public interest, he said.
Senior counsel B Adinarayana Rao, appearing on behalf of the theatre managements, said the decision was taken without considering the views of those in the film industry. He said the committee constituted to look into the issue had the principal secretary (home) as a member and not as its head as mandated.
Justice C Manavendranath Roy struck down the GO stating that the principal secretary did not lead the committee set up by the government, but was made a member, which is against the previous verdicts of the HC. He said the exhibitors can implement the same procedure in vogue before the issuance of the GO 35 and directed them to inform joint collectors, who are the licence issuing authority, about the increase in ticket prices.