Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi has some more doubts over the Bill against online gaming and gambling, and he is expected to give his assent to the legislation after getting them cleared, Law Minister S. Regupathy told journalists on Thursday.
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Against the backdrop of an ordinance promulgated to ban online gaming “lapsing” because of a statutory provision, Mr. Regupathy, along with the Secretaries of the Home and Law Departments, met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan to discuss the status of the Bill. “He asked me to convey to the Chief Minister that he would take a decision soon,” the Minister said.
Asked what was the Governor’s response, Mr. Regupathy replied that the Governor said the Bill was still under his consideration, there were some more doubts and he would give his assent after getting them cleared.
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The Governor raised some doubts and the government sought to clear them, the Minister said. “After he gets those doubts cleared through other means [consultations], he said he would grant it [his assent].”
At the meeting which lasted over 30 minutes, the Minister and the officials pointed out that 17 persons had lost their lives [after losing money in online rummy and falling into a debt trap] before the ordinance was promulgated, but the figure had risen to 25 now. These deaths could be attributed to online gaming, while there were no suicides on account of offline gaming, he said.
Online and offline
“There is a difference between playing online and offline. There are chances that the online games are pre-programmed to loot money...,” Mr. Regupathy said.
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To another question, the Minister said a total of 21 Bills were pending before the Governor. “As of now, there is no time frame for him to give his assent. Only if there is a constitutional amendment, we could ask for a time frame.”
Since the Assembly was set to convene within a few days after the ordinance was promulgated, the government decided to move a Bill in the House and get the Governor’s assent, he said.
Asked what was the status of the Bill now, Mr. Regupathy said, “If the Governor gives his assent, it will come into force.”
Meanwhile, BJP State president K. Annamalai, in a tweet, accused the ruling party of blaming the Governor to cover up what he called its “inefficiency” by not issuing a Government Order on the ban as a follow-up to the ordinance. “@CMOTamilnadu should take responsibility for being lackadaisical in not implementing the Ordinance and for the loss of eight lives,” he felt.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)