HC stays AP govt's movie ticket-selling online platform 'Your Screens'

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on 1 July stayed the Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation's plan to launch the new online portal 'Your Screens' to sell movie tickets in the state. A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and consisting of Justice D.V.S.S. Somayajulu issued an interim order to that effect. The court said the existing state of things must be preserved as it is. The judgment has been postponed and the final hearing will be on 27 July.

It may be noted that the state government had proposed the AP Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Act No. 12 of 2021 directing the sale of movie tickets through the government-run ticket-booking platform. The Multiplex Association of India, Bigtree Entertainment Private Limited (BookMyShow), and a few other private companies have challenged the government's proposal to launch the online portal saying it will affect the business of private companies.

According to the government, people can book movie tickets at the standard price through the portal by paying a service charge of Rs. 1.95 per ticket. While 1% of the service charge will go into the APFDC's kitty, 0.95% will be paid to the service provider. The new policy on online tickets can maintain transparency in the sale of tickets and curb black marketing.

The counsel for the petitioners, during the hearing, argued that the government is also asking private companies to sell through the AP State Film Television Theater Development Corporation which is not right. After weighing the competing submissions, the court opined that for now, the comparative mischief is higher for the petitioners. The loss, in this case, is also irreparable and as the ongoing contracts will be disturbed, licences are likely to be cancelled.