Panaji (Goa): While the Goa government sought details on the total tickets sold at the multi genre music festival Time Out 72, organisers Sudarshan Entertainment was billed Rs 12 lakh tax by the Excise Department for the three day long festival held from December 27-29, 2017.

The tax was based on the total attendance with the report estimating around 55,000 crowd during the three days. The Gujarat-based organisers had hosted its maiden event last year, after Sunburn and Supersonic pulled out from Goa two years ago.
Meanwhile, the Excise Department had issued over 50 occasional licenses during the last few days of December 2017. The fees to all these premises were charged based on the footfalls and the fees, and the overall collection is estimated around Rs 16 lakh which includes Rs 12 lakh levied to the new Time Out.

The department’s revenue collection was based on a circular issued on December 27, 2017 that those regular/seasonal/occasional license holders organizing events/parties involving gathering of large crowd and also charging entering fee/registration fees/cover charges/ticket/coupons for attending the events, come under this domain.

“Any event which is temporary in nature and involves gathering of large number of people, due care must be taken before issue of any occasional license by ensuring that the place has proper safety and security measures and it has valid permissions from all concerned authorities, before the license is granted by the Excise Department. It is further directed that a proper check of all the events which are being organized or are planned to be organized in your jurisdiction, must be undertaken to ensure that there is not violation of the Goa Excise Duty Act 1964 and Rules by the organizers,” the Commissioner had stated in the circular.

Team TNV