Maharashtra cabinet may discuss waiver of ₹3.40 crore to organisers of Micheal Jackson concert

A proposal to waive off entertainment duty worth ₹3.40 crore and releasing the amount to the organisers of a concert of late American singer Micheal Jackson organized

A proposal to waive off entertainment duty worth ₹3.40 crore and releasing the amount to the organisers of a concert of late American singer Micheal Jackson organized in Mumbai around 24 years ago, is likely to come up before the state cabinet for discussion, on Wednesday.

Michael Jackson.

On November 1, 1996, the then Raj Thackeray-led Shiv Udyog Sena (SUS) had organised a Michael Jackson concert in Mumbai and the then Shiv Sena-BJP led state government had granted a waiver in the entertainment duty worth ₹3.40 crore to the organisers. However, the waiver amount was deposited in the court’s treasury after it was challenged before the Bombay high court (HC) in 1996.

The state revenue department has prepared a proposal for a decision on the waiver. It is of the opinion that the state has discretionary powers under section 6(3) of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, to grant the waiver. It has now left it to the state cabinet to decide whether to uphold the Sena-BJP government’s decision or make the changes. It has also taken an opinion from the law and judiciary department before moving the proposal to the state cabinet, said a senior official from the state revenue department.