KXIP clears entertainment duty, gets permit for today’s match

Despite pending dues, 1,200 policemen deputed under three-tier security arrangement the Kings XI Punjab team management has cleared the entertainment duty, which it owed for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season III matches played at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium, Mohali, to procure a permit for the first of four matches of IPL season IV scheduled to be played here. The KXIP team management has applied for permission for all four matches but as of now it has been permitted for Wednesday’s fixture when KXIP take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). 

Confirming the development, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC) Baldeep Kaur told Newsline that KXIP has paid Rs 56,32,314 on account of entertainment duty payable on the income from sale of tickets. However, KXIP has been exempted of almost Rs 2 crore entertainment duty, which they owed for the matches played before March 31, 2010. 


Even as the AETC had asked KXIP to deposit around Rs 2.5 crore entertainment duty for all the IPL fixtures played here, the home team got a breather from the state government which waived off the levy till March 31, 2010, on the ground that all sports bodies were exempted from entertainment duty on the income generated from sports events for 15 years from April 1, 1995 onwards. 

Following the waiver, KXIP was charged for only the two matches that it played with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 2, 2010, and Mumbai Indians on April 9, 2010. For the April 2 match, KXIP paid Rs 22,91,607 entertainment duty on Rs 1,14,58,033 income from sale of tickets while on Rs 2,81,61,566 income generated from April 9 match, it paid Rs 33,40,707 entertainment duty at the rate of 25 per cent. 

“We have yet accorded permission for sale and service of liquor and catering during Wednesday’s match and permission for the rest of the matches will be given depending on the compliance of terms and conditions on Wednesday,” clarified AETC. 

Meanwhile, the district police have made elaborate security arrangements for the IPL matches here, with the deployment of 1,200 cops under a three-tier ring. This is despite the fact that KXIP owes almost Rs 1.5 crore on account of security charges for the previous IPL matches played here. 

Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam and SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar today reviewed the overall security and other arrangements for the IPL matches to be played here.