By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday said the government will have to find a mechanism to check illegal gambling after deciding to scrap the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.
He quoted the taxation minister as saying the Act was repealed in the larger interest of various stakeholders but said the lack of any mechanism to check gambling would take the state back to square one.
Pointing out that the Act warranted licenses for operating gambling centres, Sangma said it also aimed at capping the visits of people to such centres.
He said the process of repealing the Gaming Act would be similar to the piece of law associated with street vendors. “Acts are repealed via an ordinance passed in the House,” he added.
Sangma insisted that the state government has always listened to the voice of the people, which was why the decision was made to scrap the Act.
Asked if the government would do away with activities such as teer, he said it is a matter of perspective.
JAC demands notification on repeal of gaming Act
The Joint Action Committee Against Casino (JACAC) in Ri-Bhoi, comprising the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Ri-Bhoi, the Khasi Students’ Union North Khasi Hills District unit, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), on Friday said they were not satisfied with a mere statement issued by Law and Taxation Minister James PK Sangma on the decision to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.
They asked the state government to issue an official notification in this regard.
JACAC secretary Ferdynald Kharkamni said that if the minister was really committed to his words, the government should issue an official notification that the Act has been scrapped and also convene a special session of the Assembly.
He also said the ongoing protest and signature campaign against casinos in Ri-Bhoi will continue as scheduled, in addition to a proposed rally from Nongpoh to Shillong, if the notification is delayed.
Meanwhile, the Voice of the People Party (VPP) congratulates the people of Meghalaya for forcing the MDA Government to give an assurance and a public declaration that the Act will be repealed.
In a statement here on Friday, VPP vice president KH Shen said, “This exemplifies the importance of the role played by conscious and conscientious citizens in a democracy that hold the government of the day accountable to the people.”
“If the announcement is well intended, a special session of the Assembly has to be convened specifically to repeal the Act. But this entails unnecessary and wasteful spending of public money which this government could have easily avoided had they were competent, prudent and sagacious enough in making public the policy,” the VPP leader said.
Shen also observed that repealing the Act through an Ordinance would be nothing but eyewash.
“It would amount to fooling the people of the state as unless approved by the Assembly within six months the Ordinance would ceases to operate and the Gaming Act will stand revived and re-operationalised,” he said.