10. Cinematograph exhibitions to be licensed.—Save as otherwise provided in this Part, no person
shall give an exhibition by means of a cinematograph elsewhere than in a place licensed under this Part or
otherwise than in compliance with any conditions and restrictions imposed by such licence.
11. Licensing authority.—The authority having power to grant licences under this Part (hereinafter
referred to as the licensing authority) shall be the district magistrate:
Provided that the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute, for the
whole or any part of a 2
[Union territory], such other authority as it may specify in the notification to be
the licensing authority for the purposes of this Part.
12. Restrictions on powers of licensing authority.—(1) The licensing authority shall not grant a
licence under this Part, unless it is satisfied that—
(a) the rules made under this Part have been substantially complied with, and
(b) adequate precautions have been taken in the place, in respect of which the licence is to be
given, to provide for the safety of persons attending exhibitions therein.
(2) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section and to the control of the State Government, the
licensing authority may grant licences under this Part to such persons as that authority thinks fit and on
such terms and conditions and subject to such restrictions as it may determine.
(3) Any person aggrieved by the decision of a licensing authority refusing to grant a licence under this
Part may, within such time as may be prescribed, appeal to the State Government or to such officer as the
State Government may specify in this behalf and the State Government or the officer, as the case may be,
may make such order in the case as it or he thinks fit.
(4) The Central Government may, from time to time, issue directions to licensees generally or to any
licensee in particular for the purpose of regulating the exhibition of any film or class of films, so that
scientific films, films intended for educational purposes, films dealing with news and current events,
documentary films or indigenous films secure an adequate opportunity of being exhibited, and where any
1. Subs. by Act 25 of 1973, s. 4, for sub-section (3).
2. Subs. by Act 58 of 1960, s. 3 and Schedule II, for “Part C State”.
13
such directions have been issued those directions shall be deemed to be additional conditions and
restrictions subject to which the licence has been granted.
13. Power of Central Government or local authority to suspend exhibition of films in certain
cases.—(1) The Lieutenant-Governor or, as the case may be, the Chief Commissioner, in respect of
the 1
[whole or any part of a Union territory], and the District Magistrate in respect of the district within
his jurisdiction, may, if he is of opinion that any film which is being publicly exhibited is likely to cause a
breach of the peace, by order, suspend the exhibition of the film and during such suspension the film shall
be deemed to be an uncertified film in the State, part or district, as the case may be.
(2) Where an order under sub-section (1) has been issued by the Chief Commissioner or a District
Magistrate, as the case may be, a copy thereof, together with a statement of reasons therefore, shall
forthwith be forwarded by the person making the same to the Central Government, and the Central
Government may either confirm or discharge the order.
(3) An order made under this section shall remain in force for a period of two months from the date
thereof, but the Central Government may, if it is of opinion that the order should continue in force, direct
that the period of suspension shall be extended by such further period as it thinks fit.
14. Penalties for contravention of this Part.—If the owner or person in charge of a cinematograph
uses the same or allows it to be used, or if the owner or occupier of any place permits that place to be used
in contravention of the provisions of this Part or of the rule made thereunder, or of the conditions and
restrictions upon or subject to which any licence has been granted under this Part, he shall be 2
[liable to
penalty of one lakh rupees and, in the case of a continuing contravention, with a further penalty which
may extend to ten thousand rupees for each day during which the contravention continues].
3
[15. Power to revoke or suspend licence.—(1) Where the holder of a licence has been convicted of
an offence under clauses (a) to (c) of sub-section (1) of section 7, the licence may be revoked by the
licensing authority.
(2) Where the holder of a licence has been imposed penalty for contravention under clauses (d) to
(f) of sub-section (1) of section 7 or section 14, the licence may be suspended by the licensing authority
for a period not exceeding thirty days:
Provided that in cases of more than three contraventions over a period of three years, the licensing
authority, may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, by order, revoke the licence:
Provided further that no order under this section shall be made without giving the holder of the
licence a reasonable opportunity of being heard.]
16. Power to make rules.—4
[(1)] The Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, make rules—
(a) prescribing the terms, conditions and restrictions, if any, subject to which licences may be
granted under this Part;
(b) providing for the regulation of cinematograph exhibitions for securing the public safety;
(c) prescribing the time within which and the conditions subject to which an appeal under
sub-section (3) of section 12 may be preferred.
1. Subs. by Act 58 of 1960, s. 3 and Schedule II, for “whole Part C State or any part thereof”.
2. Subs. by Act 18 of 2023, s. 2 and the Schedule for certain words (w.e.f. 1-9-2023).
3. Subs. by s. 2 and the Schedule, ibid., for section 15 (w.e.f. 1-9-2023).
4. Section 16 re-numbered as sub-section (1) by Act 49 of 1981, s. 19 (w.e.f. 1-6-1983).
14
1
[(2) Every rule made by the Central Government under this Part shall be laid, as soon as may be after
it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the
session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in
making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that
any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done
under that rule.
17. Power to exempt.—The Central Government may, by order in writing exempt, subject to such
conditions and restrictions as it may impose, any cinematograph exhibition or class of cinematograph
exhibitions from any of the provisions of this Part or of any rules made thereunder