BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued an interim stay on the Congress-led government's order capping movie ticket prices at Rs 200 in multiplexes and cinema halls across the state.
The order was passed by a bench headed by Justice Ravi V. Hosmani.
The Multiplex Association of India and other parties have filed a petition before the High Court seeking interim relief to the government's order in this regard and challenged Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Rules 2025 regarding capping of prices at Rs 200.
The petitioners claimed that the state government's order is against the Karnataka Cinema (Regulation) Rule 1964. They claimed that the rule is imposed unilaterally without consulting the stakeholders.
The Karnataka High Court on September 16 had reserved the verdict on the plea challenging the Karnataka government's order to cap the price of movie tickets at Rs 200 in Bengaluru and across the state.
Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Multiplex Association of India, had submitted that the government added a new condition to a rule related to cinema regulation in Karnataka, and this new condition is unjustified, arbitrary and has no logical reason.
He further submitted that the price of the ticket is fixed at Rs 200. What is the reason for setting this fixed price? If a customer is willing to pay more for additional luxury or better services, there is no justification for applying the same flat rule to everyone without considering individual choices.
He pointed out that a similar order was passed by the government in April 2017. The matter was challenged before the High Court, and the order in this regard was nullified. After this, the government withdrew the order. Now, the government is trying to do the same by bringing an amendment to the rule.