HC dismisses writ petition of Arunachal lottery seller

Kochi, Feb 8 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today dismissed a writ petition filed by one John Rose of Balaji Agency of Cochin who challenged the state government rejecting their application seeking registration for selling paper lotteries of Arunachal Pradesh.

Mr Justice K Balakrishnan Nair, while hearing the petition, said the petitioner was only a selling agent who was not eligible to get registration in terms of provisions of the Kerala Act.

The petitioner condended that they were directly appointed by the state of Arunachal Pradesh as promoter for the sale of paper lottery tickets in Kerala and they were entitled to get registration as per the provisions of the Kerala Tax on Paper Lotteries Act, 2005.

Their application for registration was cancelled by the Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax, Ernakulam.

The court observed that Arunachal Pradesh Relief and Welfare Charitable Society was the promoter of the paper lotteries and they appointed the Sreekrishna Agencies as distributor. The petitioner was appointed the selling agent.

The court observed that if the Arunachal Pradesh Government applied for registration as promoter, it should be granted it and if the actual promoter applied, they too should be granted registration.

Without satisfying requirements under Section 2(1) of the Act, the petitioner could not seek registration, the court said.

The court added that denial of registration to a 'stranger' like the petitioner, who was not eligible for it in terms of provisions of the Kerala Act could not be described as an act of hostility against sale of lottery tickets organised by the Arunachal Pradesh Government.

UNI