The Madras High Court on Thursday rejected a plea for the early hearing of a case filed against the State government’s decision to permit 100% occupancy in cinema halls, even before the threat of COVID-19 could be dispelled completely.
Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy refused permission to a lawyer to move a lunch motion, after observing that there was no tearing hurry involved in the case, and that it could be heard in the usual course.
In his affidavit, advocate P.S. Prabu of Chennai said cinema halls in the State had remained shut since last March due to the lockdown. From October 10, they had been allowed to function with 50% seating capacity.
Suddenly, on January 4, the State government permitted 100% occupancy in cinema halls. The relaxation was in contravention of the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.
He questioned the rationale behind the government permitting cinema halls to fill up 100% of their seats, while banning public gatherings at beaches across the State on the eve of Kanum Pongal, which falls on January 16.
