Overview
- The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta stayed the Karnataka High Court division bench’s directions that required multiplexes to keep auditable, ticket-level records with traceable cash receipts and monthly reporting.
- The Court issued notice on petitions by the Multiplex Association of India and others and kept the interim High Court compliance regime in abeyance pending responses.
- The single judge in the High Court may continue hearing the underlying challenge to the State’s notification capping multiplex ticket prices.
- During the hearing, the bench criticized high costs at multiplexes and remarked that reasonable pricing was needed to keep cinema halls from emptying.
- Multiplex counsel argued the record-keeping order was unworkable due to third‑party platforms like BookMyShow, while the State said the measures aimed to enable refunds if the cap is upheld; reports differ on whether the proposed cap was Rs 200 or Rs 100.