Telangana High Court Refuses to Intervene in 'Pushpa-2' Ticket Price Hike
The Telangana High Court, on Tuesday, declined to interfere with the state government’s decision to increase ticket prices for the upcoming movie “Pushpa-2,” which is set to release on December 5. Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy stated that the government holds the authority to adjust ticket prices for films, and the court cannot interfere in such matters. The judge also directed the state government to file its counter affidavits.
The counsel for Mythri Movie Makers, Siddharth, informed the court that the government had issued a special memo allowing higher ticket prices for movies with a budget exceeding ₹100 crore, classifying them as “super budget” films. He emphasized that the increased rates are temporary and do not cause any legal harm to the public. Siddharth further argued that watching the movie is not mandatory, and individuals can choose whether to attend.
On the other hand, Srinivas Reddy, the counsel for petitioner Satish Kamaal, argued that the ticket price hike under the guise of “benefit shows” is illegal unless the proceeds are used for charitable purposes or contributions to funds like the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) or Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (PMRF). He claimed that the increased prices are being used for profit, making the act unlawful.
In response, Justice Reddy remarked that the current value of money has changed and questioned the necessity of the court entertaining the petition, stating that ₹800 is not a significant amount in today’s context.
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High Court Orders Handing Over of Six Naxal Bodies to Families
In a separate case, the Telangana High Court addressed the issue of seven deceased Naxalites from the alleged Eturunagaram encounter. The government pleader for Home, Mahesh Raje, informed the court that post-mortem examinations were conducted on the bodies on Monday at the Eturunagaram Area Hospital, as per the court’s earlier orders. The court then directed that six of the seven bodies be handed over to their respective families following proper procedures.
However, the petitioner’s counsel, Suresh, objected to this decision. He argued that Illamma, the wife of one of the deceased Naxalites, Mallaiah, was only allowed to view her husband’s body for ten minutes. During this time, she identified 11 injuries on the body, raising concerns about the nature of the encounter. The counsel demanded that an inquest into Mallaiah’s death be conducted in the presence of a jurisdictional judicial magistrate rather than an executive magistrate.
After hearing both sides, Justice Reddy directed the government pleader to ensure Mallaiah’s body is preserved until December 5. The court also ordered the remaining six bodies to be handed over to their families immediately. The case was adjourned to December 5, 2024, for further proceedings.
