A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court, calling for strict regulations to combat ticket scalping and the online ticket black market for major events. This legal action follows the recent outcry over the sale of Coldplay concert tickets, as reported by Bar and Bench.

The petition, filed by Amit Vyas, founder-partner at Vertices Partners, addresses growing concerns about ticketing practices that have become complicated with technological advancements, as reported by Bar and Bench.

The PIL will be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar after the Diwali vacation, as the matter is currently under investigation. The economic offenses wing of the Mumbai Police is already looking into a complaint filed by Vyas regarding these practices.

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Vyas’ petition highlights the widespread problem of dark marketing that affects both online and offline ticket sales. It is alleged that scalpers employ automated bots to quickly purchase tickets, securing large quantities in seconds. These bots exploit multiple identities and IP addresses to bypass restrictions imposed by major ticket sellers and websites.

In more extreme cases, they use “botnets” – groups of computers compromised by malware – to carry out multiple transactions simultaneously, making it increasingly difficult for ordinary consumers to compete for tickets.

The situation became evident during the recent sale of tickets for Coldplay concerts, scheduled for January 18, 19 and 21, 2025. Tickets went on sale on BookMyShow on September 22, 2024 at noon but sold out in just 30 minutes. Many users reported being disconnected from the platform before the sale began, while tickets quickly appeared on Viagogo at prices 30 to 40 times their original value.

Vyas’ petition raises concerns about the potential complicity of event organizers in facilitating the resale of tickets through secondary market agents, alleging that this systemic exploitation of fans is enabled by companies like BookMyShow and Live Nation. Following public outcry, BookMyShow has filed a first information report (FIR) against unidentified individuals and considers cancellation of tickets obtained through unethical methods.

Vyas claims that ticket scalping infringes on several rights, including the right to equality and access to public entertainment, while violating consumer protection laws and negatively affecting government revenue.

He stressed: “The above facts and circumstances are a stark reminder of the challenges facing live events in the digital age, where the joy of getting tickets to see your favorite artist can quickly turn into an ordeal frustrating and potentially costly. the need for a robust system to ensure fair access to tickets and prevent their exploitation by ticket resellers and bots.

The PIL calls on the court to lay down guidelines to prevent ticket scalping and black marketing and urges the relevant authorities to formulate effective laws and regulations to tackle this problem. Additionally, the petition calls for the formation of an expert committee, chaired by a retired judge and including a cyber expert, to examine and propose measures to regulate online ticket sales.

Additionally, it seeks to create an oversight committee to oversee the implementation of robust security measures for online ticketing systems. Ticketing platforms are invited to collaborate with these committees, by providing essential information related to ticket sales, particularly for the upcoming Coldplay concerts scheduled for January 2025 in Mumbai.

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