Lottery ban in K'taka stayed by HC

Bangalore, Apr 17 (UNI) The Karnataka High Court today stayed operation of the notification issued by the State Government, prohibiting sale and distribution of lottery and declaring Karnataka as a lottery-free zone.

Mr Justice Abdul Nazeer granted the interim injunction on a petition, filed by the State of Arunachal Pradesh and others challenging the March 27 notification issued under section 5 of the Lotteries Regulation Act. The petitioners had cited the Union of India and the Karnataka Government as respondents.

Arunachal Pradesh, in its petition, submitted that it was a small State which earned revenue by conducting lotteries as per the Lotteries Regulation Act. For distribution and sale of lotteries, it had set up a large infrastructure in Karnataka by appointing direct and indirect employees, operators and vendors. The impugned notification was violative of the Constitution, arbitrary, illegal and incapable of implementation, it contended.

UNI