The Assam Cinemas Act, 1953

A3 3 AM ACT XIV OF 1953 THE ASSAM CINEMAS ( REGULATION) ACT, 1953 - { P a s s e d by th e A ss em bl y) R e c e iv e d th e a s s e n t o f th e G overn or o.d th e 2 6 th Ma y, 19 53 ) ( P u b l i s h in th e Assam G a z e t te , d a te d th e 3 rd J u n e ,19 53 ) An Ac t To make p r o v i s i o n f o r r e g u l a t i n g e x h i b i t i o n s by me ans o f » c in e m a to g ra p h and l i c e n s i n g o f c in em as i n th e S t a t e o f Ass am . P re a m b le . WHEREAS i t i s e x p e d ie n t to make p r o v i s i o n f o r r e g u l a t i n g e x h i b i t i o n s by m ea ns o f c in e m a to g ra p h s and th e l i c e n s i n g o f c in em as i n th e St=>te o f A -sa a . S h o r t t i t l e e x t e n t and comme­ nce m en t . I t i s h e re b y e n a c te d a s fo l lo w s 1 . ( l ) T h is Ac t may be c a l l e d th e Assam Cin em as (R egu­ l a t i o n ) A c t, 1 9 5 3 . (2 ) I t e x te n d s t o t h w hole o f Ass am . __ (3) I t s h a l l come i n t o f o r c e on su ch d a te a s th ? „ S t a t e G ov er nm en t may , by n o t i f i c a t i o n in th e O i f i c i a l G a z e t te , a p p o in t . D e f i n i t - I n t h i s A c t, u n le s s th e r e i s a n y th in g re p u g n a n t i o n s . i n th e s u b j e c t o r c o n t e x t . - (a ) “ C in em ato g ra p h ’* in c lu d e s an y a p o a r a tu s f o r th e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f m ov ing p i c t u r e s o r s e r i e s o f p i c t u r e s ; (b ) p l a c e ” in c lu d e s a h o u se , b u i l d i n g , t e n t an d an y d e s c r i p t i o n o f t r a n s p o r t , w h e th e r by r i v e r , la n d o r a i r ; (c ) ” P r e s c r ib e d ” m^ ans p r e s c r i b e d by r u l e s made u n d e r t h i s A c t. C in em ato ­ g ra p h e x h i ­ b i t i o n s to be l i c e n s e d . 3 . Sa ve a s o th e rw is e p ro v id e d i n t h i s A ct, no p e rs o n s h a l l g iv e an e x h i b i t i o n by mea ns o f a c in e m a to g ra p h e ls e w h e re th a n i n a p la c e l i c e n s e d u n der t h i s Act o r o th e rw is e th a n i n co m p li an ce w it h an y c o n d i t io n s and r e s t r i c t i o n s im pose d by su ch l i c e n c e . C o n td . .2 . _ 2 - Li c en si ng a u th o r i t y . R e s t r ic t io n on pow er of li c e n s in g a u th o r i ty . * 4 . S u b e jc t to p ro v is io n s of S e c ti o n 5 , th e D i s t r i c t - > M a g is tr a te w it h in th e j u r i s d i c t i o n of h is d i s t r i c t o r * any o th e r a u th o r it y c o n s it u te d by th e S ta te Government by n o t i f i c a t i o n in th e o f f i c i a l G az et te (h er e i n a f t e r r e f e r r e d to as th e L ic ensi ng A u th o r it y ) fo f th e who le or any p a r t of th e S ta te may g ra n t li c e n s e s un de r t h i s Act ; P ro vid ed t h a t no li c e n c e s h a l l - be is s u e d by th e L ic ensi ng A u th o ri ty excep t w it h th e p re v io u s ap p ro v a l of tipe St a te Go ver nm ent and in acco rd in g su ch ap p ro v a l th e St^ ts Government S ta te Government s h a l l ta ke in to c o n s i­ d e r a t io n a l l a p p l ic a ti o n s fo r th e li c e n c e in q u e s ti o n and a f t e r su ch c o n s id e ra ti o n may ac co rd i t , ap p ro v a l to th e p ro p o sa l su bm it te d by th e L in ce nin g A u th o ri ty o r d i r e c t such a u th o r it y to g ra n t a li c e n c e to any of th e o th e r a p p li c a n ts w it h or w it h o u t su ch c o n d it io n s as i t may deem p ro p er and in su ch case s su ch d i r e c t io n s h a l l be deem ed to be th e p re v io u s ap p ro v a l o f th e S t^ te Government ,, 5 . ( l ) The li c e n s in g a u th o r it y s h a l l n o t g ra n t a li c e n c e un de r t h i s Act u n le ss i t i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t - (a) th e r u le s made un de r t h i s Ac t have be en su b­ s t a n t i a l l y co m pl ied w it h ; and (bs) ad eq uat e p re c a u ti o n s hav e be en tp ken in th e p la ce in re sp e c t of w hi ch th e li c e n c e i s to be g iv en to p ro v id e fo r th e s a fe ty of p e rs o n s a t te n ­ di ng e x h ib i t io n s t h e r e in . 2 . The S ta te Government may, fro m tim e to tim e is s u e d d i r e c t io n s to li c e n s e e s g e n e ra ll y or to any li c e n se e in p a r t i c u l a r f o r th e pu rp os e of r e g u la ti n g th e e x h ib it io n of any f il m or c la s s o f f i lm s , so t h - t s c i e n t i f i c f i lm s , f il m s in te n d ed f o r e d u c a ti o n a l p u rp o ses , f il m s d ea li n g w it h nQws and c u r re n t e v e n ts , do cu m en ta ry f il m s or in d ig en -o us f il m s se cu re an ad eq uat e o p p o r tn it y of bei ng e x h ib it e d or wh-ire any su ch d i r e c t io n have be en is su e d th o se d i r e c t ­ io n s s h a l l be deemed to be a d d it o n a l c o n d it io n s and r e s t r i c t i o n s s u b je c t to w hi ch th - li c e n c e ha s be en g ra n te d . * * * S u b s ti tu te d by Assam Act XXII of 12 56 . S u b -s e c ti o n <2) wa s d e le te d by Assam Act XXII of 1956 and S u b -S ec ti o n (3) wa s re -n um be re d as S u b -s e c ti o n (2 ) . G o n t cl »• • • 3 : 3 s Power" to d i r e c t li c e n se e no t - to e x h ib it c e r t a in f i l m s . P e n a l ti e s f o r con­ t r a v e n t io n o f t h i s A ct. Pow er to re vo ke li c e n c e App ea ls & R ev ie w s. 60 ( l) T*he S ta te Government in re sp e c t o f th e wh ole of th e S ta te o r any p a r t th e re o f o r th e li c e n s in g A u th o ri ty in re s p e c t of th e a re a w it h in i t s j u r i s d i c t i o n may, i f I t i s of o p in io n th a t any f il m whi ch i s bei ng p u b li c ly e x h ib it e d i s l i k e ly to ca us e a b re ach of th e Pe ac e by o rd e r , su sp en d th e e x h ib it io n of th e f il m and d u ri n g su ch su sp en si o n no p e rs o n s h a l l e x h ib i t su ch f il m in any p la ce in th e a re a s p e c i f ie d in th e o rd e r . (2) '^h en an o rd e r un de r s u b -s e c ti o n ( l) ha s be en is su e d by th e L ic ensi ng A u th o ri ty a copy th e re o f to g e th e r w it h a s ta te m en t of re aso n s th e re fo re s h a l l fo r th w it h ba fo rw ar ded by th e L ic ensi ng A u th o ri ty to th e S ta te Gov ernment and th e S ta te Gover nm ent may e i t h e r co nf irm o r d is ch a rg e th e o rd e r . (3) An o rd e r made un de r S u b -s e c ti o n (l ) s h a l l u n le ss d is c h a rg ed by th e S ta te Gov ernmen t un de r sub­ s e c ti o n (2) re m ai n in fo rc e f o r a p e r io d o f 2 mo nth s from th e d a te th e re o f bu t th e S ta te Government may i f i t i s of o p in io n th a t th e o rd e r sh ould con ti nue in fo rc e d i r e c t t h a t th e p e r io d of su sp en sio n s h a l l be ex te nded by su ch f u r th e r p e r io d as i t th in k s f i t . 7 . I f th e own er o r p e rs o n in ch ar ge of a ci nem at o­ gra ph use s th e same or a ll ow s i t to be u se d , o r i f th e owner or o c c u p ie r of any? p la c e perm it s t h ^ t p la ce to be us ed in c o n tr a v e n ti o n of th e p ro v is io n of t h i s Act and R ul es made th e re un de r o r of th e c o n d it io n s and r e s ­ t r i c t i o n s upon o r su b je c t to w hi ch any li c e n c e ha s bee n g iv en un de r th e A ct , he s h a l l be pun is hab le w it h f i n e , w hi ch may ex te n d to one th ousa nd ru pees and in th e ca se of a co n ti n u in g o f fe n c e , w it h a f u r th e r f in e w hi ch may ex ­ ten d. to one hu nd re d ru pees f o r ea ch day duri ng which th e o ff ence c o n ti n u e s . 8 . In th e ev en t of any c o n tr a v e n ti o n by th e h o ld e r of a li c e n c e o f any o f th e p ro v is io n s o f t h i s Act or Rul es made th e re u n d e r or any of th e c o n d it io n s o r r e s ­ t r i c t i o n s up on o r s u b je c t to w hi ch th e li c e n c e ha s be en g ra n te d to him un de r t h i s Ac t o r in th e ev en t of h is c o n v ic ti o n of an o ff en ce under s e c ti o n 7 o f t h i s Act o r under s e c ti o n 7 o f th e ci nem at ogra ph A ct , 1952iXXX.'VII of 1952), th e L ic ensi ng A u th o ri ty may revo ke th e li c e n c e or su sp en d i t f o r su ch p e r io d as i t may th in k f i t s * 9 , ( l) Any p e rs o n ag g ri ev ed by th e d e c is io n o f th e L ic ensi ng A u th o ri ty un de r any p re v is io n of t h i s Act expept an o rd e r pass ed un de r S e c ti o n 4 may ap p ea l to th e S ta te Go ver nm ent o r to su ch o f f i c e r as th e S ta te Govern­ men t may a u th o r is e in t h i s b e h a lf and th e S ta te Go ver n -m en t or su ch o f f i c e r , as th e ca se may b e , mpy sh make su ch o rd e rs ah i t o r he deem s p ro p e r . * S u b s ti tu te d by Assam Act XXII o f 19 56 . C on td . 4 — 5 S (2 ) A ppeals u n d e r s u b - s e c t i o n <1) s h a l l be f i l « 4 » w i th in 15 day s fr om th e d a te o f th e o rd e r e x c lu d in g tfte p e r io d r e q u i r e d i n o b ta in in g th e co py o f th e o rd e r p ro v id e d t h a t th e A p p e ll a te A u th o r i ty may e x te n d th e ti m e f o r re a s o n s fo u n d s u f f i c i e n t t o i t s s a t i s f a c t i o n . (3) Ant? p e r s o n c o n s id e r in g h im s e lf a g g r ie v e d by an o rd e r p a s s e d u n a e r S a c t io n 4 f o r g r a n t in g a l ic e n c e w it h th e a p p ro v a l o f th e S t a te Gov ernm en t may f i l e an a p o l i c a t i o n f o r re v ie w o f th e o rd e r an d th e a p p ro v a l to th e S ta te Gov er nm en t w i t h i n a p e r io d o f 30 day s fr om th e d a te o f th e o r d e r an d th e re u p o n th e S t a t e Gov er nm en t a f t e r g iv in g a h e a r in g t o th e p a r t i e s c o n c e rn e d may - (i ) r e j e c t th e a p p l i c a t i o n , o r ( i i ) W he re i t i s o f o p in io n t h a t s u f f i c i e n t g ro u n d f o r re v ie w has been e s t a b l i s h e d , g r a n t th e sa m e- (a ) by w it h d ra w in g i t s a p p ro v a l o f d i r e c t i o n i s s u e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 4 and re m an d th e a p p l i c a t i o n s t o th e L ic e n s in g A u th o r it y c o n c e rn e d f o r f r e s h e n q u i r y , o r ( i i i ) d i r e c t th e L ic e n s in g A u th o r i ty to i s s u e th e l i c e n c e t o an y o f th e a p p l i c a n t s . (4 ) A ll a p p e a ls p e n d in g on th e d a te o f th e comm enceme nt o f t h i s Ac t s h a l l ba d is p o s e d o f i n a c c o rd a n c e w it h th e p r o v i s io n s of t h i s Act an d f o r t h a t p u rp o se a l l a p p e a ls a g a in s t an o rd e r u n der S e c t io n 4 o f th e P r i n c i p a l Act s h a l l be deemeld t o be a p p l i c a b le f o r re v ie w under s u b - s e c t i o n (3 ) o f S e c t io n 5 o f t h i s A c t. Pow er t o make ru le s - . 1 C .( 1 ) The S t a t e G ov er nm en t may , by n o t i f i c a t i o n i n th e o f f i c i a l G a z e tt e ? make r u l e s f o r th e p u rp o se o f c a r r y ­ in g i n to e f f e c t th e p r o v i s io n s o f t h i s A c t . <2) I n p a r t i c u l a r an d w i th o u t p r e ju d i c e t o th e gen­ e r a l i t y o f th e f o r e g o in g p o w er, r u l e s m-d e u n d e r t h i s A ct may p ro v id e f o r - (a ) th e p ro c e d u re i n a c c o rd a n c e w i th a l i c e n c e may be o b ta in e d an d th e te r m s , c o n d i t io n s an d r e s ­ t r i c t i o n s , i f any , s u b j e c t t o w h ic h a l ic e n c e may be g r a n te d u n d e r t h i s A ct ; Cb) th e r e g u l a t i o n o f c in em ato g ra fs h e x h i b i t i o n f o r s e c u r in g p u b l ic s a f e t y ; Cc) th e ti m e w i t h i n w h ic h an d t h e . c o n d i t i o n s s u b je c t t o w h ic h an a p p e a l u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 may be p r e f e r r e d ! (d) r e g u l a t i n g th e means o f e n tr a n c e gnd e x i t a t p la c e l i c e n s e d u n d e r t h i s Ac t ad d p r o v id in g f o r p r e v e n t io n of d i s tu r b a n c e t h e r e a t ; C o n td . .5 . : 5 s z e x e m p t. (e ) r e g u l a t i n g o r p r o h i b i t i n g th e s a l e o f an y t i c k e t o r p a s s f o r a d m is s io n by w h a te v e r name c a l l e d to a p la c e l i c e n s e d u n der t h i s A c t. 1 1 . The S t a t e G ov er nm en t may . be o rd e r s u b j e c t to su ch c o n d i t io n s an d r e s t r i c t an y c i no m ato gra p h e x h i b i t i o n s fr om an y t h i s A ct o r o f an y r u l e s t h e r e u n d e r . . i n w r i t i n g exem pt, io n s a s i t may im po se o f th e p r o v i s io n s o f R e p e a l and sa v in g < 1 2 . The C in em ato g ra p h A ct, 19 18 i n i t s a p p l i c a t i o n t o th e S t a t e o f Assam an d in so f a r a s i t r e l a t e s to th e yr e g u l a t i o n • o f E x h ib i t io n by mea ns o f C in em ato gra ph X Act l i ( I n c lu d in g l i c e n s in g o f p l a c e s in w h ic h C in em ato - X g ra p h f i lm s a re e x h ib i t e d ) i s h e re b y r e p e a le d ; X P ro v id e d t h a t an y a p p o in tm e n t, n o t i f i c a t i o n , o r d e r , sc hem e, r u l e , fo rm o r b y e - la w , made o r i s s u e d u n d e r th e r e p e a le d A c t, s h a l l , so f a r a s i t i s n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t w i th th e p r o v i s io n s o f t h i s Ac t c o n ti n u e if i f o r c e and be de em ed to ha ve made or i s s u e d u n d er th e p r o v i s io n s o f t h i s A c t, u n le s s an d u n t i l i t i s su p e rs e d e d by an y a p p o in tm e n t, n o t i f i ­ c a t i o n , o r d e r , scheme , r u l e , fo rm o r b y e -l aw made or i s s u e d u n d e r t h i s A c t, S e c y . 3 d / - S .K . DUTTArt o th e Gov t . o f Ass am , L eg . an d J u d l . D e p t t . ♦ « • * JL J