Mersal movie: HC direction to registry to place plea before CJ

The Madras High Court today directed the Registry to place before the Chief Justice a petition which has alleged that theatre owners were collecting excessive charges and sought an interim stay on release of Vijay-starrer 'Mersal' till the plea was disposed of.
Justice K Ravichandra Baabu directed the registry to place the petition before the Chief Justice and obtain orders to refer it to a division bench as "public interest is involved."
The petitioner, G Devarajan of Perambur, submitted that every time during release of a new film, theatre owners collect excessive charges above the rates fixed by government.
"A higher rate is being charged for the first five days. Thereafter the rates are reduced but still above the prescribed rate ...," the petitioner submitted.

He also alleged that the owners were collecting additional charges citing GST as a separate item.
The petitioner submitted that he filed the plea as the theatre owners' action violated his fundamental rights.
He sought an interim injunction restraining the theatre owners from releasing, projecting or exhibiting upcoming Tamil movie 'Mersal' pending disposal of the petition.