Telangana High Court Revises Order on Children's Entry into Theaters

The Telangana High Court has provided relief to multiplex theaters in the state by revising its earlier order regarding the entry of children into movie screenings. The court has now ruled that children under the age of 16 must be allowed for all shows. This modification comes as a revision of the order issued on January 21.

However, the court has denied permission for benefit, premiere, and special shows across Telangana. The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for March 17.

The issue arose during the hearing of petitions related to cinema ticket price hikes and special show approvals. Justice B. Vijayasen Reddy’s bench had earlier made crucial remarks on the matter. The petitioner’s counsel argued in court that allowing children to attend late-night or irregularly scheduled shows could negatively impact their health.

Agreeing with this argument, the court had previously ordered that children below 16 years should not be permitted in theaters between 11 PM and 11 AM. The court also advised the government to consult all stakeholders and take an appropriate decision regarding the issue.

Following this ruling, multiplex owners filed an interim petition challenging the order. They contended that restrictions on children's entry were causing them financial losses and requested the court to lift the ban until the state government makes a final decision on the matter.

Upon reviewing the petition, the High Court revised its previous order and ruled that children under 16 should be allowed to attend all movie shows without restrictions.