There is good news for cinegoers as Uttar Pradesh government has admitted in Vidhan Sabha that management of multiplexes or cinema theatres could not prevent a person from carrying eatables purchased from outside inside the hall.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath informed this to the House in a written reply on Wednesday.
Replying to a question of Mukesh Chandra Verma (BJP), Yogi said that there was no law that a multiplex or cinema hall owner could prevent a person from carrying eatables purchased from outside.
As per UP Cinema Act, 1951, only eatables in sealed packets are allowed for sale inside the halls.
“If it is brought to the government’s notice that owners of cinema theatres or multiplexes are preventing people from carrying eatables in sealed packets purchased from outside, then strict action will be taken against them,” the Chief Minister said during Question Hour.
There were complaints galore of multiplex owners forcing people not to take eatables purchased from outside inside theatres and forcing people to purchase eatables from their own counters at exorbitant rates.
No prohibition: The state government has made it clear that it would not implement prohibition in Uttar Pradesh as sale of liquor helps in earning sizeable revenue and a ban will lead to illegal sale which will be harmful for people.
Answering a question of Mohammed Fayeem Irfan (Samajwadi Party) and Aman Mani Tripathi (Independent) on Wednesday, Excise Minister Jai Prakash Singh said that there was no proposal to ban sale of IMFL, beer or country liquor in the state
“Prohibition is a policy of the state government but Excise department is also the second highest revenue earner. The government is committed to provide quality liquor to the consumers as per the Seventh Schedule of Indian Constitution,” the minister said.
Singh said that the revenue earned through Excise department was used in carrying out development work. “If the government bans liquor, it will lead to bootlegging and manufacture of spurious liquor which again will be detrimental for health,” the minister said.