IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

Date of Decision: 13.02.2023

1. Civil Writ Petition No. 20075 of 2014

Kaka Ram

…..Petitioner

versus

State of Punjab and another

…..Respondents

2. Civil Writ Petition No. 10739 of 2016

Kaka Ram

….Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab and another

….Respondents

CORAM:

HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE RAVI SHANKER JHA, CHIEF JUSTICE

HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN PALLI, JUDGE

Present :

Mr. L.S.Sidhu, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Deepak Balyan, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana.

Mr. K.S.Kang, Sr. Deputy Advocate General, Punjab.

Mr. Hardeep Saini, Advocate for

Mr. J.P.Rana, Advocate, for respondent No.4.

****

RAVI SHANKER JHA, CHIEF JUSTICE (oral)

Both these petitions have been filed by the petitioner alleging

that the respondent-authorities are recklessly issuing licences for opening

Cinema Halls in the States of Punjab and Haryana without ensuring

compliance of the fire safety arrangements in the Cinema Halls.

Pursuant to the notices issued by this Court, both the States of

Punjab as well as Haryana have filed several status reports placing on record

the steps taken by them towards ensuring compliance of fire safety and other

safety measures in the Cinema Halls. The State of Punjab has also placed on

record the fact that they had issued circulars to all the Deputy

Commissioners on 20.07.2022 asking them to comply with all the safety

measures and also to take action against those Cinema Halls who have not

RAVINDER KUMAR

2023.02.14 14:45

I attest to the accuracy and

authenticity of this order/judgment.

Civil Writ Petition Nos. 20075 of 2014 (O&M) and other connected matter [2]

implemented the fire safety and other safety measures. It is stated in the

status report that action against those Cinema Halls who are not complying

with the safety measures have been taken and several Cinema Halls have

also been directed to be closed down. A District wise report (Annexure R-2)

in respect to the action taken by the State of Punjab alongwith the status

report has been filed on behalf of the State of Punjab before this Court on

08.10.2022. It has been further pointed out that inspite of and apart from the

aforesaid measures, they have also issued fresh circular dated 20.01.2023

asking all the Deputy Commissioners in the State of Punjab to conduct fresh

inspection and ensure compliance of all the fire safety measures etc. in all

the Cinema Halls.

Similar steps have been taken by the State of Haryana and it has

been stated that they have also carried out inspection of all the Cinema Halls

in all the 22 districts and some short comings have been found in four

districts, namely, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, Sirsa and Yamuna Nagar and

pursuant thereto notices have been issued to the owners of those Cinema

Halls/Multiplexes and a licence of one of the Cinema Hall in District Sirsa

has been suspended. It is stated that in the remaining 18 districts, fresh

inspections

have

been

conducted

and

no

violation

of

any

rule/regulation/building laws has been found. The status report/action taken

report filed on behalf of the Secretary to Government of Hrayana is taken on

record.

Learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the

respondent-State of Haryana submits that the State Government shall ensure

compliance of all the fire safety measures etc. and undertakes for conducting

RAVINDER KUMAR

2023.02.14 14:45

I attest to the accuracy and

authenticity of this order/judgment.

Civil Writ Petition Nos. 20075 of 2014 (O&M) and other connected matter [3]

periodical inspection in all the Cinema Halls/Multiplexes in the State for this

purpose.

In view of the status reports filed by the respective States i.e.

State of Punjab as well as Stat