Tamil Nadu parties criticise Governor for not giving his assent to bill on online gambling

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Monday came under severe criticism from political parties, including ruling DMK, for “delaying” his assent to the bill banning online gambling in the state, in the backdrop of a 22-year-old migrant labourer ending her life after losing over Rs 70,000 by playing online games.

The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022 was passed by the Assembly on October 19 replacing an ordinance issued on October 1. However, the Governor hasn’t given his seal of approval to the bill which is deemed as “very important legislation” by the state government. The ordinance lapsed on Sunday night.

The government had last week sent “detailed replies” to queries raised by Ravi on the bill and expressed the hope that the Governor will sign the bill into a law “very soon.” However, the suicide of the migrant worker hailing from Odisha in Tenkasi district of the state has led to criticism of the governor.

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Law Minister S Ragupathy said on Monday that the government has answered all the queries raised by the Governor and that the ball is now in the latter’s court. “We expected the Governor to accept the Bill after our reply. But only he will be able to say why he failed to give his assent. We passed the Bill in the Assembly because people were suffering. We have no powers to question the Governor,” he said.

The non-assent for the bill which bans online gambling and regulates online games in Tamil Nadu is the latest source of friction between the Governor and the DMK government, which has been locked in an intense battle with Ravi over several issues.

The ordinance was brought in after the state witnessed over two dozen suicides by people who lost money in online gambling. DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi sought to know why the Governor wasn’t giving his assent to the bill. “We are not able to understand why people want to save online rummy…The DMK also believes there is no need for the post of governor,” she added.

PMK, Naam Tamizhar Katchi, AMMK and MMK criticised the Governor for letting the ordinance lapse and asked him to “take responsibility” for the suicides due to online gambling. While PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss asked the Governor to sign the bill into a law without any delay, NTK’s Seeman wondered what was the need for the Governor’s post when he “cannot even” fulfill his responsibilities vested under the Constitution.

MMK chief and MLA Prof M Jawahirullah also blamed the Governor for continuing suicides in the state due to online gambling.

The bill, which was drafted following suggestions from a committee headed by Justice (retired) K Chandru, says said no online games provider shall provide online gambling service or allow playing of any online game of chance specified with money or other stakes or playing of any other online game in contravention of the regulations, in any form.

The committee headed by justice Chandru looked into the financial losses incurred while playing the game, suicidal tendencies of people who lose money, analyse the ill-effects of online rummy through data, and the impact of the advertisements on people to play the game.

This is the second time that Tamil Nadu is acting against online rummy – the AIADMK government had in 2021 imposed a ban through a law which was struck down by the Madras High Court on the grounds that the legislation was drafted without enough proof and reasons.