The Bombay High Court, on Friday, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by lawyer Amit Vyas, who sought stricter regulations to curb ticket scalping and black marketing of online tickets for major events in light of the controversy surrounding Coldplay concert tickets.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar found no merit in the petition, stating that the issues raised pertained to matters of policy and legislation, which fall within the jurisdiction of the executive and legislature, not the judiciary.

Vyas, the founder-partner at Vertices Partners, filed the PIL to address the increasing concern over unethical ticketing practices fueled by technological advancements. The Court had earlier reserved its order on January 2, during which it suggested that Vyas address his concerns directly with the state government, as policy-making responsibilities lie with the government.

"You are inviting us to enter into the policymaking domain. You are also asking us to initiate regulatory measures. We will ask the state to consider grievances. We have our own well-defined ambit," the Court had remarked during the hearing.

While dismissing the PIL, the Bench clarified that Vyas remains free to approach the relevant state authorities with his concerns.

Earlier, Vyas had lodged a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police, claiming a lack of cooperation from the parties involved in the issue. However, the Court assured that law enforcement agencies are fully capable of taking action without needing third-party support.

The petition highlighted the widespread problem of black marketing affecting both online and offline ticket sales. Vyas pointed to the use of bots by scalpers, which automate ticket purchases and allow them to secure large quantities of tickets in seconds. These bots often bypass restrictions by utilizing multiple identities and IP addresses, and in some cases, "botnets" — networks of compromised computers — are employed to execute numerous transactions simultaneously, making it nearly impossible for regular consumers to access tickets at fair prices.

The issue became particularly prominent during the release of Coldplay concert tickets for shows scheduled in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025. Tickets for the event were made available on BookMyShow on September 22, 2024, but sold out within just 30 minutes. Many users reported being logged out of the platform before the sale began, while tickets were quickly resold on secondary market sites like Viagogo at prices up to 30 to 40 times higher than the original value.

Vyas raised concerns about the possible involvement of event organizers, such as BookMyShow and Live Nation, in facilitating ticket resales through secondary market agents, accusing the companies of exploiting fans. In response to public backlash, BookMyShow filed an FIR against unknown individuals and is considering canceling tickets purchased through unethical means.

The PIL argued that ticket scalping violates consumer protection laws and fundamental rights, such as the right to equality and access to public entertainment. Vyas also claimed that such practices harm government revenue. The petition called for the Court to establish clear guidelines to combat ticket scalping and urged authorities to create robust laws to address the issue. Additionally, it proposed the formation of an expert committee, led by a retired judge and including a cyber expert, to study and recommend measures to regulate online ticket sales