HC seeks collector, movie halls reply on petition

The Bombay High Court directed the collector of Mumbai and suburbs, movie theatres as well as multiplexes to file their affidavit today, in reply to a petition seeking implementation of a Government Resolution (GR) restraining additional charges for online booking of movie tickets.
Filed by an advocate Sunil Lalla, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had sought a direction to all movie theatres and multiplexes in the state to not levy 'internet handling fee' or 'convenience charge' over and above the cost of the movie ticket.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha directed the collector of Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs to file an affidavit stating what steps it had taken to implement the GR dated April 4, 2013.

The court has also directed other respondents - BookMyShow, Big Cinema (Reliance Mediaworks), Fame India Ltd, INOX cinema, Fun Multiplex, Sterling Complex, Globus Cinema, New Excelsior Cinema, 24 Karat Multiplex, HDIL Broadway, Abhiruchi City Pride and E-Square cinema to file their affidavits by June 25, so that the matter could be heard on June 27.
On April 16, Lalla had booked a ticket online through BookMyShow to watch a movie at Sterling theatre in South Mumbai. He was charged Rs 193.48 and he found out that though the ticket was priced at Rs 180, he was charged Rs 13.48 as "internet handling fee".

After he sent a notice to respondents seeking clarification for charging an additional fee when the government has prohibited it, he received a reply from Sterling stating that they are "not aware" of any such order.

Lalla then approached the high court.
"Some theatres charge upto Rs 25 for online booking. Despite the government resolution specifically saying that viewers should not be charged, it is not being followed," the petitioner's advocates Birendra Saraf and Ameet Naik argued today.
When Chief Justice Shah asked why the collector has not circulated the government resolution to all movie theatres, government pleader Geeta Shastri said that it has been circulated.

Shastri has sought time to collect information from the collector on the matter.