Cinema theatres, which do not allow patrons to carry even water bottles due to security concerns like the possibility of undesirable elements carrying liquor or even acid, must provide purified drinking water to them free of cost, the Madras High Court has ordered.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam made it clear that it would not be sufficient for a theatre to provide any kind of water and that the government officials concerned must make sure that only purified drinking water was provided.
The judge directed the Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department officials to conduct periodical inspections in cinema theatres and ensure that they also maintain the toilets hygienically.
The Joint Commissioner of Legal Metrology was ordered to take prompt action on complaints received from cinema goers with regard to food items being sold at exorbitant prices.
The orders were passed on a writ petition filed by an advocate clerk G. Devarajan in 2016.
The petitioner had complained of a cinema theatre in Perambur of having charged him ₹30 for a 500 ml water bottle with a Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of ₹10 and ₹65 for a mango drink with a MRP of just ₹25. He sought action against the theatre for selling food articles at exorbitant prices.
On the other hand, senior counsel Satish Parasaran, representing the theatre, told the court that dual MRP was permitted before 2017 and that manufacturers of food articles were allowed to sell their products at different prices depending upon the location where they were sold.
However, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules were amended with effect from January 1, 2018 and since then, the theatre had been selling food items only at MRP, he said. After recording his submissions, the judge directed the Joint Commissioner of Legal Metrology to conduct an inquiry.
