GST effect: Tamil Nadu theaters to shut down from July 3

Around 1,100 cinemas across Tamil Nadu will be closed from Monday in protest gainst a new municipal tax of 30 per cent in addition to the GST.

Tamil Nadu, July 2: The Chennai Theatre Owner's Association on Sunday reiterated its call for an indefinite shutdown of theatres across the state from July 3 due to lack of clarity on the tax amount that will be levied after GST implementation.

The theatre owners decided to cancel all shows from July 3 after the Edappadi Palanisamy government worked around the GST and introduced a 30 per cent municipal tax on cinemas.

"The government has announced a GST rate of 28% on cinema tickets above Rs 100 and state 30% that would be 58%, which is too much. We have decided to go on strike from Monday. Around 1,100 cinemas across Tamil Nadu will be closed," A Ramanathan, Chennai Theatre Owner Association.

We are not opposing anybody. We are asking the govt. We are closing because we are unable to run, he added.

Tamil Nadu theatres will be halting advance bookings of tickets from Sunday and all shows across the state's theatres will be suspended starting next week, with film theatre associations demanding a roll back of the municipal tax.

OneIndia News