The High Court of Karnataka on May 23 (Thursday) directed the State Government to take a decision on or before June 4 on the application filed by the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) seeking a licence for horse racing fixtures of 2024-25.
A vacation bench of Justice M.G.S. Kamal issued the direction on three separate petitions filed by the BTC, the Karnataka Racehorse Owners’ Association, and the Karnataka Trainers’ Association.
The court set June 4 as the deadline after Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty informed that the government is not in a position to grant temporary permission for the races scheduled for May 25 and 26, but would take a final decision on the applications within a reasonable period of about two weeks.
The court asked the government to hear the representatives of the BTC before taking the final decision while noticing that the government has been regularly grating licences for on-course and off-course betting for horse races at BTC for 72 years.
2-hour discussion on temporary permission
Pointing out that the competent authorities of the government discussed for two hours the court’s May 21 query on whether temporary permission could be granted for May 25 and 26 races, the A-G said that there are certain crucial aspects that require elaborate consideration. Hence, he requested reasonable time to take the final decision on application submitted by the BTC.
Tainted bookies removed
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Sriranga S., appearing for the BTC, told the court that the club, in its recent general body meeting, cancelled the licences of 27 tainted bookies against whom the police had recently filed charge sheets for allegedly evading crores of rupees in GST and collecting bet amounts illegally. He also pointed out that the government is aware of the activities at the club as four members of the BTC’s 10-member board are nominated by the State Government, including the Secretary, Finance Department, and the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner in their ex-officio capacity.
As the decision of cancelling the licences of charge-sheeted-bookies by the BTC is a new development, the A-G said that this aspect would be placed before the competent authorities for consideration before taking the final decision on the application for grant of licence.
The BTC had complained that its applications seeking licences for its racing fixtures for 2024-25 are pending before the government since April due which livelihood of several persons dependent on racing had been affected, besides causing loss to the State exchequer by way of GST.
The court adjourned hearing on the petitions to June 6.
