Coldplay concert row: Bombay High Court rejects PIL for guidelines to combat ticket scalping

The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by a lawyer seeking stricter guidelines to tackle ticket scalping and black marketing of online tickets for major events, following the controversy surrounding Coldplay concert tickets..A Bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar observed that there was no merit in the case and that the arguments primarily delved into matters of policy and legislation, which fall under the exclusive domain of the executive and the legislature.The PIL, filed by Amit Vyas, founder-partner at Vertices Partners, had come in response to growing concerns over unethical ticketing practices exacerbated by technological advances. The Court had reserved its order in the matter on January 2. .During the hearing, the Court had suggested that Vyas should approach the State government with his concerns since the creation of such policies falls within the government’s domain. “You are inviting us to enter into the policymaking domain. You are also asking us to begin a regulatory measure. We will ask the State to consider grievances. We have our own well-defined ambit," the Court had observed at the time. While dismissing the plea today, the Bench clarified that Vyas is not prevented from approaching the competent authority of the State with his concerns. .Vyas, who had also filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police, had argued earlier that the parties involved in the issue were not cooperating with investigators.In response, the Court had reassured that law enforcement agencies are fully capable of acting without the need for third-party cooperation..The PIL focused on the widespread problem of black marketing affecting both offline and online ticket sales. Vyas claimed that bots, which automate ticket purchases, were being used by scalpers to secure large quantities of tickets within seconds. These bots often work by using multiple identities and IP addresses to bypass restrictions set by primary ticket sellers. In some cases, “botnets” — networks of compromised computers — are utilized to carry out numerous transactions simultaneously, making it almost impossible for ordinary consumers to access tickets at fair prices.This issue gained particular prominence during the sale of Coldplay concert tickets for shows scheduled in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025. .Tickets for the event were released on BookMyShow on September 22, 2024, but were sold out within just 30 minutes. Many users reported being logged out of the platform even before the sale started, while tickets rapidly appeared on secondary market sites like Viagogo at prices up to 30 to 40 times higher than the original value.Vyas raised concerns about the potential involvement of event organizers, such as BookMyShow and Live Nation, in reselling tickets through secondary market agents, alleging that this exploitation of fans was being facilitated by the companies. In response to public outcry, BookMyShow filed an FIR against unknown individuals and is considering cancelling tickets purchased through unethical means..The PIL contended that ticket scalping violates several consumer protection laws and fundamental rights, including the right to equality and access to public entertainment. Vyas argued that such practices also harm government revenue. In light of these serious concerns, the PIL called for the court to establish clear guidelines to prevent ticket scalping and urged relevant authorities to create robust laws to address the issue.Additionally, the petition proposed the formation of an expert committee, led by a retired judge and including a cyber expert, to study and recommend solutions for regulating online ticket sales.