‘Sign or seize’ Officials warns owners of cinema theatres

Sattenpalli (Guntur District), June 20: Revenue department officials issued a warning to the owners of a few cinema theatres in Sattenapalli -  “Sign the document or we will seize the theatre. Decide before 24 hours.”
 
Tahsildars, DTs, RIs and VROs are asking the cinema theaters’ owners to sign on the papers, agreeing to sell cinema tickets through online under the State government’s supervision.
 
The owners of cinema theatres said that already movie tickets are being sold through online and rural people and uneducated are purchasing tickets through offline. They expressed concern there would be problems if all the tickets are sold through online.
 
Saying that they are already paying GST on tickets, they said they can’t pay Rs 2 on each ticket as service charge. They were opposing the government decision to go online for theatres even in mandal headquarters and C centres in villages. 
 
The owners of cinema theatres in Sattenapalli requested to give time till Monday to take a decision. They are worried as the officials have warned that they seize the theatre and also Rs 5 lakh penalty will be levied.