STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair disposed of the interlocutory applications that sought vacation or modification of an order passed by this court of October 3, 2024. In its October 3, 2024 order, the high court said that the state government shall issue direction to all the district commissioners, including the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all the districts of Assam, not to grant any permission to any individual or organization for organizing offline and online lotteries, and in case any such offline or online lotteries are found to be organized illegally, the SP concerned shall take immediate action against those persons or organizers in accordance with law.
It is the case of the applicants that they are social organizations indulging in various religious, cultural, and other social activities for the benefit of the public at large. It is contended that for years earlier they have been organizing lotteries/lucky coupon draws on the eve of Raax festival, Republic Day, Laxmi Puja, Dol Utsaav, etc., with a view to encouraging large participation of the public. It is contended that in view of the order passed by this court, they are apprehending that the state government shall not grant them permission to organize lotteries/lucky coupon draws in the above-referred festivals. They, therefore, prayed that the impugned order may kindly be either vacated or modified, allowing the applicants to organize lotteries/lucky coupon draws in the above-referred festivals, which is a practice ongoing since years ago.
“Having heard the learned counsel for the parties and after going through the contents of the applications, we are of the view that the order issued on October 3, 2024, passed by this Court in the PIL (29/2024) is not liable to be modified or vacated. However, the applicants are at liberty to move appropriate representations before the authorities concerned in the state government seeking permission to organize lotteries/lucky coupon draws on the eve of the above-referred festivals. If any such application is moved by the applicants, it is expected that the authorities concerned in the state government will consider and decide the same expeditiously, taking into consideration the provisions of The Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998 and The Lotteries (Regulation) Rules, 2010. With the above observations, these interlocutory applications stand disposed of,” the bench said.
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