‘Print concert attendees’ names on tickets’: Maharashtra Cyber Police Takes Action Against Ticket Scalping At Concerts

In a bid to address the growing issue of ticket black marketing and scalping for high-demand events, the Maharashtra Cyber Police has mandated a series of stringent measures. Starting December 15, 2024, popular event organizers, including platforms like BookMyShow (BMS), must implement name-based ticketing and ensure tickets are verified against government-issued ID cards at event venues.

The directive follows the rampant reselling of tickets for high-profile concerts, including those by Coldplay and Indian singer Diljit Dosanjh, where prices skyrocketed in the black market. The initiative aims to establish transparency and accountability in the ticketing process for sold-out events.

Mandatory Name-Based Ticketing System

The directive, issued by Inspector Abhijit Sonawane of the Maharashtra Cyber Police, specifies that for events with exceptionally high demand, name-based ticketing must be adopted.

“[Starting] from 15th December 2024, for concerts and events that are likely to sell out or where demand far exceeds supply, it will be mandatory to implement name-based ticketing. The attendee’s name should be either printed on the ticket or band or incorporated into the QR code of the RFID band. Additionally, tickets must be verified against a government-issued ID card on the day of the event to prevent misuse,” the directive stated.

While this measure seeks to address ticket scalping at its root, the process will initially apply only to selected events with high demand. The upcoming Maroon 5 concert on December 3 has been exempted as a one-time exception.

Ten Steps to Reinforce Transparency

The cyber police have outlined ten key steps that event organizers must implement, even for events exempted from name-based ticketing. These measures include:

1. AI-Based Firewalls: Platforms must use AI-powered systems to detect and block bot traffic attempting to secure multiple tickets.
2. Social Media Monitoring: Monitoring and reporting posts or ads promoting ticket resales at inflated prices.
3. Queue Integrity: Ensuring individuals do not repeatedly bypass digital queues through suspicious patterns, such as using the same email, delivery address, or payment method.
4. Undercover Operations: Deploying undercover personnel at venues to identify and report scalpers.
5. Random Verification: Randomly checking at least 500 attendees’ government IDs to ensure ticket ownership matches the booking.
6. Dynamic QR Codes: Using QR codes that periodically refresh, making it harder for scalpers to duplicate or resell tickets.
7. Tamper-Proof Bands: Employing tamper-proof wristbands for entry at high-demand events.
8. OTP Verification: Sending OTPs to random attendees to confirm legitimate bookings.

These measures were also recommended for the Maroon 5 concert despite the exemption from name-based ticketing.

Public Reactions to Maharashtra Cyber Police’s action

The push for stricter regulations follows widespread criticism and legal actions. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Mumbai lawyer Amit Vyas highlighted black-market sales for Coldplay’s concert tickets. The PIL urged the government to enact laws akin to Australia’s Major Events Act, which declares specific events as major and enforces strict rules to curb scalping.

“It is a welcome step, though there is a long way to go. These are just some of the measures that Maharashtra Cyber Police has issued. This is a good start, but it lacks clarity,” Vyas stated. He emphasized the need for clearer legislation to define what constitutes a “major event” and suggested government oversight for implementing such measures.

However, not all reactions have been positive. Delhi-based technology lawyer Bagmisikha Puhan criticized the cyber police’s directive, suggesting it oversteps their authority. “This notice issued under the cited section is akin to lawmaking and is seemingly beyond the scope of the powers conferred by the provision. Requiring OTPs and conducting random inspections are excessive and irregular,” Puhan argued.

Enforcement Efforts by Maharashtra Cyber Police

The push for tighter regulations gained momentum after Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) initiated an investigation into the Coldplay ticket scandal. This was triggered by an FIR filed by BookMyShow in response to allegations of black-market ticket sales. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) later launched operations across five states to address the issue.

The Maharashtra Cyber Police issued a formal notice to BMS under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure. This empowers authorities to intervene to prevent cognizable offenses.

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