Maharashtra government directed to decide on implementation of Casinos Act within six months

The ꧃Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to take a reasoned stand on whether it intends to implement a four decade old legislation, the Maharashtra Casinos (Control & Tax) Act, 1976 within six months in response to a Public Inteܫrest Litigation (PIL).

A division bench of the High Court comprising of Justices VM Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi while disposing off a PIL filed for imple📖mentation of the Maharashtra Casinos (Control & Tax) Act, 1976-🍸 in terms of petitioner Jay Sayta’s prayer no. (b) noted that the petitioner was at libert🃏y to approach the court with a fresh petition in case he was not satisfied with the state governments efforts.

The PIL was filed as non-implementation of the will of the legislature due to executive oversight or inaction is a matter of grave concern and goes against the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers and legislative supremacy.The government is exp♋ected to comply with the order of the High Court and expeditiously decides as to whether it will implement the Maharashtra Casinos (Control & Tax) Act, 1976; failing which it will be open for the petitioner to file a fresh petition (including contempt petition) against the state government.

Mihir Desai, Senior Counsel and Gaurav Mehta, Advocate appeared for th𝕴e petitioner and were briefed by solicitor Anirudh Hariani of Hariani & Co.