Cinema halls are permitted to set their terms and conditions to sell food and beverages inside the theaters, Supreme Court stated in a directive and much noted that a viewer has an option to not eat up the food and beverages provided inside theaters.
A board of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha suggested that a cinema hall is individual property and its landowner is well authorized to set their terms and conditions as he/she finds appropriate.
“A cinema hall owner is entitled to regulate the entry of food and beverage. Whether to consume what is available is entirely upon the choice of the moviegoer. Viewers visit the hall for entertainment,” the Court said and added, “When a viewer visits the hall, he or she is required to follow all the rules set by the cinema hall.”
The court included that the viewer has to obey to the customs of the movie theater hall, and it is obviously a matter of a commercial decision of the theatre owner.
The movie theatre hall is not a gym where you require healthy food. It is a place of entertainment. It is privately owned, so it is the owner’s prerogative,” the court stated.
The SC said, “The High Court exceeded jurisdiction in passing such an order. It has been submitted to movie hall owners that drinking water will be supplied free of charge and when an infant accompanies a parent, as a matter of practice hall owners does not object to a reasonable amount of food for the infant.”
The leading court mentioned this while setting aside the Jammu and Kashmir High Court order, which had given the multiplexes and movie theaters not to rule out film goers from bringing their own food and beverages inside the cinema halls.
The top court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by theater owners and the Multiplex Association of India confronting a 2018 sentence of the High Court.
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