Kolkata, 15 December (H.S.) :

Following the chaos during Lionel Messi’s programme at Yuva Bharati Krirangan, the West Bengal government has made the refund of ticket money to spectators its immediate priority. Nabanna has clearly stated that compensating those who could not watch the full programme is the most important task at this stage. A senior minister said in unequivocal terms that the money will have to be returned, leaving no room for alternatives.

The programme, scheduled to last around 70 minutes on Saturday, was disrupted within just 22 minutes due to overcrowding and mismanagement. Thousands of spectators who had paid hefty amounts for tickets were unable to see Lionel Messi properly. The government believes that those affected must be compensated for the financial loss they suffered.

Nabanna has begun examining the refund mechanism. Officials said that while the process is not technically complex, certain procedural and legal aspects prevented an immediate rollout. These issues are now being clarified to ensure a smooth refund process.

Event management experts pointed out that refund mechanisms are usually pre-planned for large-scale events. Typically, refunds are processed within 90 days of the scheduled event date, though in practice they can be completed within 7 to 10 days. Similar incidents have occurred in India and abroad, making it essential for the process to remain simple and transparent.

Tickets for the Yuva Bharati event were sold through the food delivery and ticketing platform Zomato. As a result, the ticket revenue is currently held by the company. Once formal instructions are issued by the state administration, the refund process can begin immediately.

However, spectators are unlikely to receive the full ticket amount. According to sources linked to the event management industry, deductions will be made for GST, Zomato’s service charges, and other applicable fees, usually ranging between 4 and 6 percent, as mentioned on the tickets. The remaining amount will be returned to the organiser’s company, which will then transfer it to the ticket holders.

The state administration also has clear data on the number of people eligible for refunds. Around 48,000 tickets were issued for the gallery, of which nearly 14,000 were complimentary and carried no charge. Refunds will apply to the remaining approximately 34,000 paid tickets.

A major hurdle in the process is the role of organiser Shatadru Dutta. He is the sole decision-maker in his company and is currently in police custody. It remains unclear who will sign off on financial decisions and formally authorise the refunds in his absence. Legal opinion is being sought on whether he can be involved in these procedures while in custody.

Administrative sources said that once these procedural and legal issues are resolved, Nabanna will issue formal directions to Zomato, paving the way for the refund process to begin without further delay.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh