HYDERABAD: The High Court on Friday sought response from the state government in a petition challenging the Telangana Cinemas (Regulation) Rules 1970, which regulate the services provided by online ticket booking platforms.
A division bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice A. Venkateshwara Reddy was dealing with a petition filed by M/s Buy Movie Tickets and its representative Srikanth Punati, stating that the prescribed rules and the GO issued by the government were arbitrary and violation of Cinemas Regulation Act 1955.
He challenged the government decision in restricting online booking of cinema tickets to 50 per cent of the total tickets sold per one show, capping the service charge for providing online ticket services to only Rs 6 and stopping online booking of cinema tickets two hours before the show time.
He requested the court to declare such restrictions imposed on online ticket providers were unconstitutional and void ab initio.
The bench issued notices to the government and directed to place its contention in the petition by March 2.
