Kerala theatres to be equipped with e-ticketing soon
- The system will be first introduced at Kalabhavan Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram
- Information Kerala Mission is also in the process of developing an app for ticket booking
- The state government had mooted introduction of e-tickets in 2012
FollowPutting an end to manual ticketing issuing system in the theatres, Kerala government is planning to introduce e-ticketing system in cinema houses across the state. The e-ticketing system is expected to be completed in a year.
The project was sanctioned by Local Self Government Department (LSGD), and Information Kerala Mission is in the process of developing software for the system. Cinema houses are functioning under LSGD.
The move aims to bring transparency to the ticket issuing system and collections made by theatres from the release of a cinema. This is expected to prevent tax evasion. Cinema houses have to pay entertainment tax to LSGD and ticket cess to Kerala Cultural Welfare Board. Entertainment tax is 20% while cess is collected at the rate of ₹3 per ticket.
"The e-ticketing system will ensure that government receives tax and will help to prevent tax evasion during the manual issue of tickets," an official of Information Kerala Mission said.
The state government had mooted introduction of e-tickets in 2012 itself but had to backup following protests from various corners. The then government had announced that e-ticketing would be introduced in May 2016, but the movie exhibitors and theatre owners were against the move.
The system will be first introduced at Kalabhavan Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram, owned by Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC). E-ticketing will be introduced in 14 theatres under KSFDC on an experimental basis and later expanded to other cinema halls in a year.
The Information Kerala Mission is also in the process of developing an app for ticket booking.
