Overview

• A Division Bench led by Justices Suraj Govindaraj and Rajesh Rai K. declined to vacate a single judge’s stay on Karnataka’s rule capping cinema tickets at ₹200.
• The court expanded interim measures, directing the Multiplex Association of India and member cinemas to record each ticket sale across payment modes, excluding GST, and to submit statements monthly to the licensing authority by the 15th.
• An external chartered accountant must audit the statements, with failure to furnish details resulting in loss of the stay’s protection for the defaulting multiplex, making the cap applicable to it.
• Multiplexes must publicly display the court order in auditoriums, show it on screens for at least 30 seconds in English and the regional language, and post it on booking portals; electronic overcharges could be refunded if the cap is ultimately upheld, with cash cases to be addressed later.
• Respondents were given four weeks to file objections and the appeal was posted for November 25; the notified rule caps prices at ₹200 excluding GST with an exemption for premium multi‑screen cinemas of 75 seats or fewer.