Kochi: The Kerala High Court has sought the state government's response to a petition challenging the practice of hiking ticket prices in multiplex theaters when demand increases. The petition was filed by Manu Nair, a resident of Kottayam, and came up for consideration before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji.

According to the petitioner, there is currently no system in place to prevent multiplex theatres from inflating ticket prices. The complaint notes that the prices are increased at the time of the movie's release. This is in violation of the Kerala Cinemas (Regulation) Act and related rules.

Neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh have implemented legal frameworks to regulate such pricing practices. The Madras High Court has also prohibited the imposition of excessive charges by theatre operators.

The petition argues that cinema remains a primary form of entertainment for the general public and should be accessible to all sections of society. It further states that the Kerala government has not yet implemented a policy to address this issue and calls for a directive to be issued in this regard.