Lottery ban in Karnataka stayed by High Court

Bangalore, Apr 17: The Karnataka High Court today stayed operation of the notification issued by the State Government, prohibiting sale and distribution of lottery and declaring Karnataka 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