Kolkata: The Amusement department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has sought details from Kolkata Knight Riders about the sale of tickets during Indian Premier League (IPL) for matches held at Eden Gardens.
The move comes with more than Rs 3.5 crore amusement tax of KKR being due. KMC has found out that KKR has been paying less than the amusement tax that they are scheduled to cough up. Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who is in charge of the Assessment department of the civic body and looks after the amusement tax collection, held a meeting with four senior KKR officials on the issue. The KKR officials informed Ghosh that of the 65,000 capacity at Eden Gardens, only 48,000 tickets are sold and the rest are distributed as complimentary tickets.
They reasoned that they are paying an amusement tax of Rs 25 lakh a year on the basis of 48,000 tickets sold for KKR's home matches held at the stadium. However, Ghosh had made it clear that the KKR authorities should submit documents pertaining to their claim. "We will examine the records and check the ticket sales. The Deputy Mayor is not happy with such huge tax being due from KKR," a senior official of the Amusement department said.
KKR had also appealed for tax waiver to Mayor Firhad Hakim. However, the Mayor is against such relaxations. The IPL had started from 2008. Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and her spouse Jay Mehta are the owners of the franchise.