House rejects bill on repeal of Gaming Act

SHILLONG, Sep 12: The state Assembly on Monday rejected a bill introduced by Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) MLA Adelbert Nongrum that sought to repeal Gaming Act.
Through voice vote, the House rejected the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming (Repealing) Bill 2022.
Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh put to vote if Nongrum has the leave of the House to introduce the bill.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs did not support Nongrum since many of them were not in the House when he had introduced the bill.
When the KHNAM MLA was unhappy with the decision, the Speaker said that the bill was rejected after he had taken the sense of the House.
Earlier, while introducing the Bill, Nongrum said that in the wake of growing opposition to the operation of casinos and legalised forms of gaming in the state, which has been expressed by the church bodies, traditional institutions, social organisations and individuals, it is required to carefully weigh whether the intention of the government to raise revenue from gaming is more important than listening to the moral sensitivity of the people.
He further debated that the proposed enactment sought to fulfill and acknowledge the sentiments of the people of the state.
“To ensure that the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970 is not diluted and to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2020,” the KHNAM legislator said.