The Bombay High Court has dismissed a plea seeking measures to curb ticket black marketing and scalping for major events, including the recent Coldplay concert in Navi Mumbai. The court emphasized that such issues fall under the legislative domain, leaving the matter to the discretion of lawmakers.
Court’s Stand on Legislative Jurisdiction
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar stated that the judiciary could not intervene in issues requiring legislative and executive decisions. “The government is free to draft legislation to address the concerns raised,” the bench observed, while permitting the petitioner to approach the competent authority for further representation.
Allegations of Ticket Irregularities
The plea, filed by advocate Amit Vyas, accused event organizers and online ticketing platforms, particularly BookMyShow, of manipulating ticket sales. Vyas alleged that tickets for the Coldplay concert were sold out within minutes on BookMyShow but later surfaced on secondary platforms at inflated prices. Similar irregularities were claimed during IPL matches, the 2023 Cricket World Cup, and concerts by artists like Taylor Swift and Diljit Dosanjh.
The petitioner argued that fans are often exploited through excessive pricing on secondary websites, urging the court to establish stringent guidelines to prevent such practices.
Previous Complaints and Investigation
This isn’t Vyas’ first attempt to address the issue. He previously filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing regarding ticketing malpractices, which is currently under investigation.
Future Legislative Measures?
While the court declined to intervene, it left room for government authorities to consider legislative or executive actions to address the highlighted concerns. However, until concrete measures are implemented, issues surrounding ticket scalping and black marketing remain unresolved.
This verdict serves as a significant reminder of the pressing need for comprehensive legislation to protect event attendees from exploitative practices.
