TN: CM Stalin to present Online Gambling Prohibition Bill again in Legislative Assembly
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will be presenting The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022 again tomorrow in the Legislative Assembly.
It is said that more than 40 people have lost their lives playing online rummy in the state owing to delay in the bill being passed. According to Patrika, the questions raised by the Governor RN Ravi, who returned the bill, will also be clarified along with passing the bill again and sending it to the Governor.
The bill was sent back to the government for reconsideration by Governor Ravi on March 8, Wednesday, under Article 200 of the Indian Constitution without giving his assent. Ravi claimed that the state government does not have the authority to enact such law.
TN State Police and people have expressed their displeasure on governor returning the bill banning online gambling. Law Minister S. Regupathy responded to the Governor saying that the High Court have made it cleat that the Assembly has the authority to draft such a Bill.
He further said that the Governor can return the bill only once under Article 200. The bill will be passed again in the Assembly, and this time the Governor will have to give his assent.
Previously, when the bill was first sent to the Governor for his assent, he asked a series of question for further clarification, Regupathy claimed that all the answers were provided to the Governor under 24 hours, but he still refused to provide his assent.
The bill was original formed back in October 2022 from an emergency ordinance. Retired Justice K. Chandru, one of the committee members, who recommended the online gambling ban bill, asked why did the Governor not give his assent to the bill when he readily promulgated the ordinance?