The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday adjourned till December 14 the hearing on petitions seeking grant of licence to conduct horse racing at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) as the club rejected a proposal, submitted by the government, to conduct winter races under the supervision of a committee in place of the existing stewards.
Rejecting the government’s interim proposal, submitted based on the court’s suggestion to allow races under supervision of a specially constituted committee, Senior Counsel S.S. Naganand, appearing for the BTC, said that the proposal is not acceptable as the stewards, who were overseeing racing activities, have been kept out of the proposed committee, and such a move would result in other racing centres not recognising the BTC’s racing activities.
He pointed out that the government has three nominees in the existing committee of six stewards, and the BTC has no objection to increasing this number to four for supervision of racing activities.
Earlier, Advocate-General Madhusudan R. Naik submitted a proposal to form an interim committee, to be headed by a retired judge of the High Court and comprising three retired officers from the all-India services from the background of administration, policing and taxation, to oversee BTC’s racing activities. This interim committee will replace the existing stewards and will submit a report to the government on the way forward to regulate BTC’s racing activities.
However, the government made it clear that the club’s members will continue to have all facilities in the club, except the right to conduct races. Horse-owners, trainers and other stakeholders will also continue to enjoy the existing benefits and facilities.
Stating that it is willing to grant licence for conduct of winter races under the supervision of the proposed committee, the government claimed that ‘it is primarily concerned with the gullible public, more particularly sections of the society who are basically/largely poor and who are tempted and encouraged to indulge in wagering/betting but are reportedly exploited by malpractices, through a nexus built between a few of the management of the turf club(stewards), horse owners, trainers, jockeys and bookmakers’.
Justice A.S. Bopanna adjourned further hearing on the BTC’s interim plea to direct the government to grant licence for racing activities pending final consideration of the petitions.
