The Delhi High Court on Thursday requested a response from the Centre and other relevant authorities regarding the unauthorised resale of tickets for upcoming concerts by Diljit Dosanjh and Coldplay in India.
This followed a plea urging the creation and enforcement of a regulatory framework to govern the sale of concert and event tickets through authorised platforms. The petition called for the Centre to prevent unlawful re-sellers from operating in the country.
Diljit Dosanjh’s “Dil-Luminati Tour” is set for October 26 and 27 at Delhi’s JLN Stadium, while British rock band Coldplay is scheduled to perform in Mumbai from January 19 to 21, 2025.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued notices to the Union Ministries of Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, as well as StubHub Inc, Viagogo Entertainment Inc, and Bigtree Entertainment Pvt Ltd.
The petitioner’s lawyer, Rajshekhar Rao, highlighted that tickets are being resold at inflated prices. He stated, “Tax liabilities are only on the seller, the website charges a huge premium fee. The websites (StubHub and Viagogo) have no office or presence in India. They’re not paying any taxes.”
Rao also noted the increase in black marketing, despite BookMyShow, which holds exclusive rights to Coldplay tickets, advising the public to avoid unauthorised sales.
When the court inquired if a regulatory framework was necessary to combat ticket black marketing, the lawyer described it as “sophisticated black marketing,” requiring systemic regulation.
The High Court directed that replies be submitted within four weeks and scheduled a follow-up hearing for February 18, 2025, alongside a similar case.
Previously, the court had asked for responses regarding a plea that alleged “illegal, manipulative, and exploitive” ticket scalping practices.
Tickets for Dosanjh‘s shows sold out within hours, but were being resold at exorbitant prices, with Gold category tickets, originally priced between ₹4,000 and ₹9,000, being offered for up to ₹20,000. Similarly, Coldplay tickets, initially priced from ₹2,500 to ₹35,000, were being resold for as high as ₹3 lakh on platforms like Viagogo.
BookMyShow, holding exclusive rights to Coldplay tickets, filed a complaint against third-party platforms and announced that unethically sold tickets might be cancelled.
Until 2023, unauthorised ticket resale was not explicitly considered a criminal offense in Indian law, except under certain state laws, such as the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act. However, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, introduced in July, now includes Section 112, which addresses “petty organised crime,” including penalties for unauthorised ticket resales.