The government on 21st June made it mandatory for multiplexes to shift to the electronic ticketing system to check possible evasion of GST. Since cash is often paid by the public while buying tickets from the box-office counter, such cash transactions are sometimes not fully recorded, resulting in tax evasion. Multiplexes will now be required to issue an electronically generated tax invoice. For this purpose, the electronic ticket issued by multiplexes will be deemed to be a tax invoice.
Most of the multiplexes are already using the electronic ticketing system and hence the government move is more symbolic than anything else. Rumours are rife that the mandate may extend to single-screen cinemas in the coming months. If that happens, the colourful tickets may become a thing of the past.
Meanwhile, the deadline for filing annual GST returns has been extended by two months to August 2019.