Maharashtra to come out with a policy to regulate exorbitant food prices in multiplexes

Good news for patrons of multiplexes who are right now being fleeced by the owners to pay through their noses for their eatables and water and banned from bringing home cooked food when they come to watch films in multiplexes. The Maharashtra Government has informed the Bombay High court that it is considering formulating a policy to regulate prices of food being sold inside multiplex cinema halls. A division bench of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice MS Karnik, while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jainendra Baxi, said “We have experienced it ourselves, the prices of food items and mineral water being sold inside the theatre are exorbitant. If there is a complete ban on getting food from outside then why are vendors allowed inside?”

Government pleader Purnima Kantharia informed the court that suggestions from the petitioner and the Multiplex Association of India have been forwarded to the government and they are under consideration. Soon, guidelines will be formulated and it will be applicable to all the multiplexes. The court accordingly has granted six weeks time to the Maharashtra government to place on record its policy and file its reply to the petition. “The rates of food items have to be nominal,” the court said. The court was hearing the petition filed by resident Jainendra Baxi through his lawyer Aditya Pratap. The plea claimed there was no legal or statutory provision which prohibited one from carrying personal food articles or water inside the movie theatre.The Maharashtra Cinemas (Regulation) Rules prohibit hawking and selling food inside theatres and auditoriums.

”This rule is openly flouted by cinema halls with several stalls selling food and beverages. New theatres also have buttons right on the seats of viewers that enable them to call for a waiter, order food, and have the same delivered right at their seats.” In Pune, the Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena asked a multiplex to put up a board outside that patrons will not be frisked for food and beverage that they bring from home bowing down to a demand from the political party. I hope Mumbai too will toe the line.

By: Jyothi Venkatesh