Maharashtra Govt Drops Entertainment Tax Waiver On Michael Jackson's 1996 Concert, After More Than 24 Years-REPORT
According to the latest report, after more than 24 years since the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson performed in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government decided to drop the Entertainment Tax waiver on the 1996 Mumbai concert. Read the details!
King of Pop-Michael Jackson is loved by one and all in the country. He is deeply missed by his fans, but they remember fond memories of the legendary singer through his chartbuster songs. Back in 1996, the King of Pop himself, performed in Mumbai during a concert. The concert was one of the biggest events in history and was Jackson’s first in the country. It was held on November 1, 1996. It was reported recently that the Maharastra cabinet is likely to take up a proposal regarding Michael Jackson’s 1996 concert on Wednesday. Now, the latest report stated that the Maharashtra government decided to drop the Entertainment Tax waiver on the 1996 Mumbai concert.
According to a PTI report, after more than 24 years since the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson performed in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government uphold the Entertainment tax waiver. The government decided to grant Rs 3.36 crore entertainment tax waiver to an event management company that took part in organizing the musical concert. The report said that the event firm will get the money it earned from ticket sales. As per the report, a statement informing about the same was released from the Chief Ministers Office. The statement stated that the government had used “discretionary powers under Section 6(3) of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, to give the waiver”.
Speaking of the concert in question, it was organized by the Shiv Udyog Sena, led by Raj Thackeray at that time, cousin of Uddhav Thackeray, in collaboration with Wizcraft Entertainment Agency Pvt Ltd. Back in 1996, Shiv Sena was in power along with the BJP. And, in 1996, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi had granted the waiver to the event company. Reportedly, Michael Jackson had also paid a visit to the residence of the Shiv Sena founder, late Bal Thackeray and his family.
Meanwhile, the then Shiv Sena-BJP government had granted the waiver from the entertainment duty because the profit will be used for charity purposes. However, in 2011, the Bombay High Court slammed the state government, citing ‘non-application of mind’ and asked it to further reconsider its decision for exemption from stamp duty. Also Read: Paris Jackson Follows In Her Legendary Father Michael Jackson’s Footsteps; Releases Debut Solo Single ‘Let Down’
Image source: YouTube