President approves new Telangana law to include online rummy within the ambit of dangerous activities
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind a new law passed by the Telangana legislature that inter alia includes offences under the Telangana Gaming Act, 1974 (which after , now includes wagering or betting on games of skill like rummy, including when such games are played online) under the ambit of dangerous acti൲vities like dacoity, drug peddling and kidnappiꦅng.
It has been reported that Pr🍎esident Kovind has given his assent to the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land-Grabbers (Amendment) Bill, 2017 ().
The assent to the amendment bill, which was passed by both the houses of the Telangana legislature in 2017, was reserved by the Governor and the Bill was sent to the union government for its consideration, since the matter involved certꦰain subjects that fall in the concurrent list. After examination by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which sought certain clarifications from the Telangana governments, the amendments have been approved by the President of India and the new Bill is now in force.
The amendment bill will now have draconian provisions to detain any person wꦦho has committed an offence under the Gaming Act, if it is required for maintenance of public order foܫr a period of up to twelve months without bail or trial.
In 2017, the Telangana government had passed outlawing online rummy and other skill games played for stakes. The or♏dinances were later converted into an Amendment Bill that was approved by the🎐 legislature and assented to by Governor ESL Narasimhan.
In June 2017, online rummy compan🐽ies Ace2Three, Junglee Rummy, RummyCircle and Classic Rummy this decision of the government in the Andhra ꦆPradesh and Telangana High Court. The matter, which has been pending for the past year and a half, was heard at considerable length over the past few weeks.
💦The court has not given substantial relief to the rummy companies so far, except for allowing the companies based inღ Hyderabad to continue their operations for players residing outside the state of Telangana.
A division bench of the court com꧑prising of Chief Justice TB Radhakrishnan and Justice V Ramasubramanian last heard the ꦐmatter on 3rd October and adjourned it for further hearing on 10th October.
