Maha Govt. to levy entertainment tax on IPL-4

MUMBAI - Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday said the State Government will levy entertainment tax on the Indian Premier League (IPL) season-4.

Talking to media persons here on Saturday, the Deputy Chief Minister said: The government has decided to levy entertainment tax on IPL from the next season.”

“The decision was taken last month (April). We worked on the details at Friday’s cabinet meeting,” he added.

The Bombay High Court had earlier said ‘prima facie’ IPL matches is covered under Entertainment Tax.

Moreover, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) too had termed IPL as an ‘entertainment provider’.

“The IPL was conceptualised as an entertainment spectacle and was also pitched as the ultimate destination of TV entertainment. It is thus obvious that the main objective of the IPL was to provide entertainment and hence merited levy of entertainment duty on sale of tickets,” said a CAG report.

The report also held the Maharashtra government responsible for exempting IPL-3 from entertainment taxes, thereby causing a loss of about Rs 5 crore. (ANI)