Gujarat: PIL challenges restriction on outside food in cinema halls

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Gujarat High Court challenging the action of cinema hall and multiplex authorities for restraining moviegoers from taking outside eatables and water inside the cinema hall.

The petitioners—Sanjeev Ezhava and Arpit Shukla—on Wednesday submitted before the court that on one hand the cinema goers are restrained from carrying outside eatables inside the theatre and on the other, the multiplex administration is forcing the moviegoers to buy junk food and aerated drinks at exorbitant cost, if one is interested in eating anything during the movie.

It is the case of the petitioners that the cinema hall authorities are also illegally running food kiosks and small eateries in the lobby of the theatre in contravention of all norms enshrined under Gujarat Cinema (Regulation) Act. They have also alleged that the civic authorities which are supposed to initiate action against these illegal kiosks are acting as mute spectators and have failed to initiate action against the same.

The petitioners have contended that under the Gujarat Cinema Rules, 2014, there is no provision which permit multiplex and single screen theatres to sell food items and water at higher than actual rates. It has been also contended that the multiplex and cinema halls have no authority to restrain 'medically vulnerable person', children, senior citizens, and persons following religious norms, from bringing their own food and water, due to which they often have to abstain from consuming food available at the theatre's lobby.

The petitioners have also argued that there is no security threat in allowing moviegoers in taking their own food, as the theatre authorities might argue, as there are metal detectors and security manning the gates who frisk those entering the premises. It has been also argued that there is no legal or statutory provision prohibiting people to carry their own food inside the theatres, when vendors are allowed to serve inside the theatre at exorbitant prices.

Meanwhile, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice AS Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav sought some clarifications from the petitioners about the legal provisions related to operation of food stalls inside the theatre and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday.