A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court issued notices to the management of the Prasad Multiplex in the city on Tuesday, after a complaint that officials were not taking action as the multiplex failed to follow safety norms.
Responding to a petition by RTI activist Vijay Gopal, the bench also issued notices to the Telangana government, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner and Telangana Fire Services authorities.
Citing the Cinema Regulations Act, 1955, the petitioner pointed out that the IMAX screen at the multiplex, had 635 seats spread across 14 columns.
While each row had 47 seats, the petitioner said that there was no passage or gap in between the row, for people to evacuate in case of an emergency.
As per the 1955 Act, a theatre must have at least a 2-feet wide vertical gangway between every 10 seats, which directly leads to the pathway and the exit.
The petitioner also said that he had taken the issue to the concerned authorities, but no action was taken.
The same activist had moved the Hyderabad Consumer Forum against INOX theatre situated in GVK Mall, last year, following which the forum ruled that cinema theatres cannot charge more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on water bottles, and asked the multiplex to pay up Rs 5,000, along with another Rs 1,000 to the petitioner.
A one month earlier, popular restaurant Shah Ghouse in Hyderabad, was fined Rs 10,000 by the Legal Metrology Department for charging more than the MRP for a soft drink.
In November last year, raids took place at several prominent malls and multiplexes in Hyderabad as well.
The raids came after the Telangana Legal Metrology Department undertook a special drive across the state following complaints of misuse of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and fined over 1,000 outlets.
Stating that 700 out of the 1,062 cases were booked in Hyderabad, reports added that cases were registered against Hyderabad Central, PVR Cinemas, KFC, McDonald's, Prasads Imax, Subway , Sujana Mall in Kukatpally, Blue Fox restaurant, Shanbagh hotel, Golkonda Hotel and Park Hotel.