Bombay High Court says food and water prices inside multiplexes are 'exorbitant', asks owners to sell at regular rates

Bombay High Court has said that food and water sold inside multiplexes are exorbitant and need to be reduced. The Maharashtra government has said it will frame a policy to regulate the prices in six weeks, as reported by Scroll. [caption id=“attachment_3774725” align=“alignnone” width=“1200”]  Representational image[/caption] The court ruling comes in response to a petition filed by Mumbai resident Jainendra Baxi questioning the practice of multiplexes prohibiting people from carrying personal food items and water into movie theaters. The move is bound to make cinema-goers happy, as often the cost of eating inside a multiplex far exceeds the ticket price itself. “The price of food and water bottles sold inside movie theatres are, indeed, exorbitant. We have ourselves experienced it. You (multiplexes) should sell it at the regular price,” said Justice SM Kemkar, directing the government to regulate the situation, as reported by Scroll. Jainendra Baxi’s counsel had argued that there exists no statutory bar on carrying personal food items and water inside movie theaters, and sought proper guidelines. As the multiplexes do not permit any person to carry their own water or food into cinema halls, it severely affects elderly audiences as they can often not eat the junk food served at multiplexes. The counsel for the multiplex association argued against the petition claiming it is unworkable and unviable, citing safety and security concerns of patrons,  as reported by The Times of India. The government told the court that the state will frame a policy on the issue after taking into consideration suggestions submitted by the petitioner and the Multiplex Owner’s Association which is a nationwide body of cinema theater owners. The bench will further hear the petition on 12 June. With inputs from PTI.