Ticket Rates: High Court initiates contempt proceedings

Despite earlier directions from the Telangana High Court restraining the government from permitting movie ticket price hikes, exceptions continued to be granted for films such as “The Raja Saab” and “Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu.” This has now invited strict judicial scrutiny.

On Tuesday, the Telangana High Court suo motu initiated contempt proceedings against C.V. Anand, Principal Secretary, Home Department, over the issuance of a ticket price hike order for “Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu.”

The court observed that the ticket price hike was approved on January 8 and made public on January 10, but was not disclosed during the January 9 hearing related to “The Raja Saab” case. This omission was noted despite the court’s clear instructions that no such orders should be issued unless strictly in accordance with the law.

The High Court expressed serious concern over the violation of its earlier directions and stated that the proceedings in this matter will continue.