SC notice to Centre, three states against Online Lotteries

New Delhi, Dec 10 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre, state of West Bengal, director of state lotteries Sikkim, and Tripura on a PIL seeking ban on Online Lotteries.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran also tagged the petition filed by Bibhash Karmakar with the other similar matter already pending in the court.

Petitioner contended before the court that these lotteries have played havoc with the weaker section of the society as many tempted by the lure of easy and quick money have been totally ruined financially and many among them have committed suicide.

The petitioner, who himself belongs to Scheduled Castes, also told the court that he himself was one of the victim of this Online Lottery, which is nothing but gambling and these lotteries should be banned in larger public interest and accused the state authorities of allowing these Online Lotteries to flourish at the cost of the people in the name of earning state revenue.

UNI