Supreme Court said that Cinema halls and multiplexes have the right to regulate movie goers from carrying food and beverage from outside. At a hearing today at Supreme Court on whether people can take food to cinema halls or not. The judges remarked at one point, “Should we start bringing jalebis to the movies?” During this time, the court was hearing a petition that wanted for a ban on food from outside at cinemas. All the Cinema halls and multiplexes have the right to set terms and conditions and decide whether to allow food and beverages from outside, the Supreme Court said.
A order of Jammu and Kashmir High Court was set aside by a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha that had removed the ban on people carrying their own food and water in theatres.
The judges of the Supreme Court said that “The cinema hall is not a gym that you need healthy food. It is a place of entertainment. A cinema hall is private property. It is for the owner to decide subject to statutory rules. Saying that arms are not allowed or that no discrimination on basis of caste or gender can be there, is fine. But how can the High Court say that they can bring any food inside cinema halls?” They also added to their statement that the High Court had overstepped its brief and asserted that cinemas have already been directed to provide, especially for children, free food and clean water. Whether or not to watch a movie is the choice of the viewer and once they enter the cinema hall, they have to abide by the management’s rules, they said.
The panel of judges added that “For water we can make a concession that free water be provided at movie theatres. But suppose they sell nimbu paani for ₹ 20, you can’t say I’ll go buy my nimbu from outside and squeeze it in a flask and make it inside the theatre.” The Chief Justice shared an anecdote from the time he, as Bombay High Court Chief Justice, heard a case related to adult films shown after 11 pm on TV.
