TN again adopts bill to ban online gambling

BJP’s Gupta challenges suspension

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday once again unanimously adopted the bill to ban online gambling, weeks after Governor R N Ravi returned it to the government for reconsideration.

Piloting The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, Chief Minister MK Stalin said he was moving it with a “heavy heart” while referring to the loss of lives associated with online gambling.

Speaker M Appavu read out a letter from Governor Ravi giving reasons for returning the bill. The letter to the Speaker said the Assembly had “no legislative competence,” and the bill went against “several judicial pronouncements.”

Noted advocate Arvind Datar said the Governor was duty bound to give his assent for the bill passed by the Assembly. “He should have given his assent the first time itself,” he said.

Chief Minister Stalin told the Assembly that 41 people had ended their lives after losing money excessively in online gambling. He referred to a youth, Sureshkumar, who died by suicide after losing upto Rs 17 lakh gambling in online Rummy. In his suicide note, he pleaded for a ban on online Rummy.

Stalin also referred to another person, who too ended his life after leaving a similar suicide note. "These deaths are happening in front of our eyes. This government, which has the law in its hands, has the duty and responsibility to stop this," the Chief Minister said.

BJP leader Vijender Gupta moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday challenging his one-year suspension from the Delhi assembly by the Speaker.

His plea was mentioned by senior advocate Jayant Mehta before a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta. The bench agreed to list the petition for hearing on Friday.

On March 21, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had suspended Gupta till the next budget session for allegedly obstructing the proceedings of the House.