To curb the spread of parallel lottery, the government will consider live telecast of State government lottery draw and suspension of the agency of registered vendors trading in bogus tickets, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said.
Replying to notice on an adjournment motion of V.D. Satheesan in the Assembly on Friday on the problems thrown up by the sale of illegal lottery in the northern districts, Dr. Isaac said the government was aware of the gravity of the issue and stern action had been initiated.
Illegal parallel traders issue three-digit numbers written on pieces of paper for a fixed price and if the digits and the last three numbers of the prize-winning Kerala lottery tickets are the same, they offer substantial sums as prizes. With the Kerala State lottery having daily draw, the illegal trade is picking up in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts, he said.
About 544 cases had been registered in the northern districts in this connection since 2011 and the number was growing. The State-level lottery monitoring committee had decided to streamline district committees and take steps against offenders. The government would examine whether there was an organised bid to promote the trade that would be detrimental to Kerala government lottery, he said.
Mr. Satheesan alleged that registered Kerala lottery agents were using the agency as a cover for illegal trade. A prominent agent in Kannur, certain CPI(M) leaders, and lottery-case accused Santiago Martin were behind the illegal trade. Mr. Satheesan also alleged that the numbers of prize-winning State lottery tickets reached the traders before it appeared on the official website. This would affect the sale of State lottery and would also set the ground for return of other State lotteries to Kerala, he said.
Dr. Isaac said the government was open to the suggestions of the Opposition and would consider live telecast of the draw, revised prize structure, and opening more district lottery offices to make ticket-vending hassle-free.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said Santiago Martin was behind the trade and added that he was trying to come back to Kerala. Based on the government explanation, Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan denied leave for the notice, but the Opposition accepted the government stance and did not stage a walkout.
