Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1955

No: 9 Dated: Apr, 27 1955

The Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1955

Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 1955

    An Act to provide for the regulation of exhibitions by means of cinematographs in the State of Tamil Nadu.

    Whereas it is expedient to provide for the regulation of exhibitions by means of cinematographs in the State of Tamil Nadu;

    Be it enacted in the Sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1955.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Tamil Nadu.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification, appoint.

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(1) "cinematograph" includes any apparatus for the representation of moving pictures or series of pictures;

(2) "District Collector" in relation to the Presidency-town means the Commissioner of Police, Chennai;

(3) "Government" means the State Government;

(4) ' "notification" means a notification publishem the Fort. St. George Gazette;

(5) "place" includes a house, building, tent and any description of transport, whether by water, land or air;

(6) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.

3. Cinematograph exhibitions to be licensed. - Save as otherwise provided in this Act, no person shall give an exhibition by means of a cinematograph else-where than in a place licensed under this Act, or otherwise than in compliance with any conditions and restrictions imposed by such licence.

3A. Disqualification for applying for grant or renewal of licence. - No person shall be eligible to apply for the grant or renewal of a licence,-

(a) if he has been convicted of an offence under-

(i) Clause (a), or sub-clause (i) of clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 14 of the Tamil Nadu Entertainments Tax Act 1939 (Tamil Nadu Act X of 1939);

(ii) Sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (Central Act XXXVII of 1952); or

(b) if any of his licence under this Act has been revoked or suspended under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 9, unless a period of two years has elapsed since his conviction, or as the case may be, the revocation or suspension of his licence.

4. Licensing authority. - The authority having power to grant licences under this Act (hereinafter referred to as the licensing authority) shall be the District Collector:

Provided that the Government may, by notification, constitute for the whole or any part of the State such other authority as it may specify in the notification to be the licensing authority for the purposes of this Act.