Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Indore Municipal Corporation said here on Thursday that singer Yo Yo Honey Singh’s upcoming concert in the city would get official approval only if the entertainment tax was duly paid. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav has formally written to the district magistrate and police commissioner, urging them to ensure that the permission for the show was granted only after the event organisers deposited the required tax.
To note, it is a case of ‘once bitten twice shy’ with the IMC, as it did not get tax from several high profile concerts held here in the past. Hence, the civic body has now adopted a stiff stance on tax collection. Honey Singh’s concert, which is scheduled for Saturday, is expected to draw a large audience but city officials are firm on collecting tax in advance as per the entertainment tax policy.
The Mayor said that the civic body had been implementing the tax as per Madhya Pradesh Municipality Tax Rules 2018 that mandated a levy on commercial music and dance events. Mayor-in-Council member and in charge of revenue department in the IMC, Niranjan Singh Chauhan ‘Guddu’ said that a 10 per cent entertainment tax should be imposed on the total ticket sales for the event.
He warned that if the tax was not collected, he would take strict action, including introducing a censure motion in the Mayor-in-Council and filing a complaint with the Lokayukta police. Chauhan pointed out that IMC had been facing losses due to non-payment of taxes from several high-profile concerts held in the city.
He mentioned the recent live performance of popular Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, for which the entertainment tax was allegedly not collected leading to revenue loss for the civic body. The IMC is now determined to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
“The demand for tax payment before granting event approval is part of the city’s broader effort to regulate commercial entertainment activities and ensure compliance with municipal tax regulations,” he said.
“Officials believe that enforcing these rules will not only generate revenue but also bring greater transparency to the organization of such large-scale events,” Chauhan said. The local authorities have also urged other event organizers to adhere to the entertainment tax norms or be ready to face legal consequences.
“The IMC has been actively monitoring concerts and other entertainment programmes to ensure compliance and officials have hinted at stricter measures in the future to recover lost revenue,” the MiC member said. With just one day to go for the show, all eyes are now on the event organizers to see whether they comply with the tax requirement. If they fail to do so, there is a possibility that the show might face legal hurdles or even be cancelled.
