HC sets March 30 deadline to both states; petitioners allowed to hike rates AP, TS to set up panels on movie ticket rates
The Hyderabad High Court has directed the AP and TS governments to constitute committees headed by the principal secretaries, home, to fix rates of admission into various classes in cinema theatres.
Justice Raja Elango while disposing of a batch of writ petitions by managements of theatres, set aside GO Ms No. 100; dated April 26, 2013, which fixed the ticket rates in undivided AP. The main grievance of the petitioners was that the rates were discriminatory and was causing loss to exhibitors.
Counsels for the two governments that the GO was issued prior to bifurcation and cannot be made operative.
The said, “in view of changed circumstances coupled with the conversion of some of the theatres to multiplexes by raising advanced infrastructure and by meeting the highest maintenance, the GO does not appear to be proportionate and warrants revision.”
The judge wanted the committees to consider the welfare of cine-goers primarily and the grievance of the exhibitors and distributors and frame the rules by March 30, next.
Justice Elango permitted the petitioners to run their theatres by collecting their proposed ticket rates after duly informing the authorities, till the committee fix the admission rates.
BAR COUNCIL MEMBER CLEARED
The 4th metropolitan magistrate court quashed the drunk driving case against MIM leader and Bar Council member Zakir Hussain Jawed.
The Banjara Hills traffic police had booked the case against Mr Jawed in September near IndoAmerican cancer hospital. Police said his blood alcohol content (BAC) was 83 mg/100 ml against the permissible 30 mg/100 ml.
Mr Jawed contested the case, claiming he was not drunk; when he asked the police to take him for a blood test, they refused and booked the case against him. The magistrate found the police had failed to prove the case against Mr Jawed.
Mr Jawed had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from Rajendranagar in 2014 and is contesting for the Telangana State Wakf Board under the category of Bar Council member.
NO BAR ON FLEXI MANUFACTURE
by any court to prohibit the production of flexies and banners.
Justice A. Ramalingeswara Rao was granting an interim order suspending a circular issued by the director of municipal administration to the extent of banning the manufacture of flexies and banners.
Justice Rao was dealing with a petition by the Telangana Flex Printers and Employees Association. The circular had instructed commissioners of all urban local bodies indicating a ban on the use of plastic, flexies etc., from January 1, 2017, apart from creating awareness programmes about the adverse effects of using such material.
The judge said urban local bodies could continue to hold awareness programmes about the adverse effects on using plastics and flexies.
The judge noted that the circular was in furtherance of the orders issued by the Supreme Court in SLP (C) No.8519 of 2006 on January 18, 2013, and the orders of the High Court dated December 26, 2014, and March 25, 2015, and on the instructions of the minister.
Justice Rao noted there were no directions for banning the manufacture in either of the orders and said: “It appears that the circular was issued contrary to the constitutional provision and without any statutory provision imposing restrictions on the manufacturing activity, but based on the statement of the minister.”