Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi returned Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill to the state government after four months on Wednesday. The Bill was passed in Tamil Nadu Assembly on October 19.
According to ANI, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi yesterday (Wednesday) sent back the bill to prohibit online gambling and to regulate online games in the State. The Governor has sent back the bill after 4 months and has sought further clarifications regarding the bill.
The Bill was returned to the House for its 'consideration once again' in the wake of certain aspects that have been outlined by Raj Bhavan, official sources told PTI.
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The Bill was rejected on the lines that the state legislature had "no legislative competence" to frame the Bill, said a report on The Hindu.
The Bill was passed after the Assembly met for a brief session on October 17. Later, it was sent to Raj Bhavan for Governor's assent.
The state government passed the Bill after the Madras HC struck down the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Gaming and Police Laws (Amendment) Act 2021 which banned wager or placing bets in cyberspace on August 3, 2021.
Such provisions were held by the High Court as ultra vires the Constitution. The court had said that an appropriate legislation may be passed by the government conforming to the Constitutional sense of propriety in the field of betting and gambling.
Meanwhile, Governor Ravi returned the Bill just a few days after a man died by suicide after suffering losses in online gambling games. The Tamil Nadu government said that at least 44 people died by suicide after suffering huge losses in online gambling.
(With PTI inputs)