Government Cant Decide Ticket Prices: High Court

The High Court had primarily opined that the government did not have the power to fix the prices of movie tickets. Ultimately it is the Licensing Authority (Joint Collector) that sets the prices.

This is the primary opinion of the court and it was of the opinion that the whole affair should be looked at in-depth.

The court also clarified that service charges could not be included in ticket prices when selling movie tickets online.

Multiplex‌ owners were told that tickets could be sold under the old system. Owners have the option of levying service charges on spectators who book tickets online.

High Court judge Justice DVS Somayajulu on Wednesday issued an interim order to this effect. The trial was adjourned to June 15, with the defendants ordered to file counterclaims.

The multiplex association has approached the government in the wake of recent prices G.O. They say the government did not make them part of the committee and were not even consulted.

“Theater owners provide online booking for audiences. They offer the facility to book a ticket from anywhere without having to stand in line. We pay service charges for providing airline and train tickets as well as food delivery services online. It is not appropriate to not include online service charges in movie ticket prices. The actual price charged is only to enter the hall,” they argued.

If there is a favorable judgment for Multiplex association in this case, we will see more changes in the ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh.