Andhra Pradesh: Yet another blow to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy! His controversial GO no 35 on keeping low ticket price was suspended by the High Court of AP and the distributors as well as cine theatres’ management have been asked to issue tickets for the films at regular prices. This new verdict by the High Court is a direct slap on the face of Jagan because he had wanted to make film industry further plead him with regards to this controversial GO!
Andhra Pradesh
Earlier the state government had passed the amendment bill regard to the AP Cinematography Act where the government had put a break for the increase in film ticket prices. In addition, the government had also brought the online system for ticket purchase and stated that it had brought the law to enforce transparency in movie tickets and to collect the GST which was being evaded. The government had also put restrictions on the number of shows to be run with not exceeding the maximum of four shows.
This move by Jagan government was not welcomed by film industry and even people understood that the pricing was too less to be believed. Everyone understood that the CM was not interested in the growth of film industry and he was indirectly discouraging them in AP. The government said the amendment would help the government regulate cinema ticket pricing and check exploitation of moviegoers.
The state government came up with an online booking system will be maintained by the Film Development Corporation (FDC) with a dedicated payment gateway to stop the tax evasion and enable the Revenue Department to collect taxes on time, without any irregularities.
As per the GO, the ticket prices at various levels were it a municipality, municipal corporations, City Panchayats and Gram Panchayat had been released. Going by the rates, the ticket prices vary depending on the theatres. In municipal corporations, the maximum price of a ticket was slated at Rs 250 while the minimum price was at Rs 75 in multiplexes. While the maximum ticket price at Rs 100 and the minimum at Rs 40 for AC theatres. And in the non-AC theatres, the maximum ticket price was Rs 60 and the minimum was Rs 20.
The latest news of High Court suspending the GO has brought cheers in the film industry and almost all the producers have welcomed the decision. Especially with huge releases slated over the next one month, this decision seems to have come at the right moment and for the benefit of the cinema industry!