B. SURYANARAYANA Vs. THE COLLECTOR OF KORAPUT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Petitioner is the Manage of Sri Shankar Talkies at Gunupur in the district of Koraput and holds a License for running the cinema under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act of 1918. The Petitioner's grievance is that one of the conditions of the license Clause 6(a) imposes on a liability to exhibit an 'approved film' the total length of which should be not less than 1,000 feet in the case of cinemas screening 35 MM. films and not less than 400 feet in the case of cinemas screening 15 MM. films. His further complaint is that the District Magistrate, by his order dated 29th August 1950 directed that the cinema House should be closed at 12 -30 A.M. and no show should be run beyond that hour. The Petitioner's grievance is that as a result of these two conditions he is not able to exhibit his own films completely as much of the time available is occupied by the compulsory exhibition of approved films and he is prevented from running the show beyond 12 -30 A. M. and that the restrictions constitute a violation of the rights guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

(2.) WE are satisfied that so for as the second condition is concerned, there is no room for complaining that it amounts to an unreasonable restriction on his right to carryon his business. The District Magistrate, in his affidavit, says that such restriction was necessary in the interests of public peace and that this restriction on cinema hours was imposed throughout the district without any distinction or discrimination. We therefore see no reason to interfere with the order of the District Magistrate in this respect.

(3.) I agree.