The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered issue of notice to the State government on the petitions filed by Bangalore Turf Club Ltd (BTC) alleging that the government is not renewing its racing licence for ‘extraneous considerations’.
Pointing out that the government has insisted on admission of 50 nominees as club members as a condition for granting of licence under the Mysore Race Courses Licensing Act, 1952, the BTC has contended that the action of the government in seeking such admission is contrary to the Articles of Association and is also violation of Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India.
The government has not issued a racing licence with effect from September 1, 2017. The Finance Secretary had issued a letter dated July 31, 2017 stating that the government would issue licences if the membership of the club would be increased to accommodate 50 nominees of the government, but the letter was retracted on August 31, 2017, BTC’s petition claimed.
With a view to arm-twist the BTC, the petitioner alleged, the Deputy Commissioner, purportedly on the instructions of the government, did not consider the application for renewal of liquor licence for the year 2017-2018; the liquor licence was renewed on a direction by the High Court.
The petition alleges that another attempt to disrupt activities of the BTC was made by the government by initiating an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is still inconclusive, on an allegation that one of the horses in a particular race was administered therapeutic drugs above the accepted screening and reporting levels. And, in the guise of the probe, the petition alleges, CID officers had sought financial and other records not related to the issue and in the absence of any allegation against the BTC.
“... the licence is being denied only for extraneous considerations in order to arm-twist the petitioner and to hold it to ransom,” the petition stated while contending that the ‘entire sequence of events smacks of legal malice’.
Meanwhile, in another petition, the BTC Staff Association has claimed that non-renewal of licence has adversely impacted about 103permanent employees, 225 contract labourers, 1,200 daily wagers and about 900 stable workmen and other persons, apart from impacting around 200 professionals — racehorse trainers, jockeys and riding boys.
