Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy Meets Governor to Discuss Online Gaming Bill; Governor Trolled on Social Media For Allowing the Ordinance to Lapse

On December 2, Tamil Nadu state Law Minister S Regupathy met Governor RN Ravi to discuss the latter’s doubts about the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Ordinance, 2022, which lapsed on November 27.

In the 30-minute meeting, Regupathy, accompanied by secretaries of home and law departments, underlined the situation’s urgency. He said – “Seventeen people had killed themselves due to online gambling and games when the Ordinance was promulgated. It has risen to 25 now.”

The Governor reportedly reiterated that the related Bill was still under his consideration. He sent the state a list of queries to which the government responded; however, he had more doubts. He added that he would approve the legislation once the government clarifies them.

Talking to the media post the meeting, Regupathy said, “He asked me to convey to the Chief Minister that he would take a decision soon.” When questioned on the present status of the Bill, Regupathy said, “If the Governor gives his assent, it will come into force.”

Speaking on the difference between online and offline versions of these games, Regupathy said, “Online games can be programmed with algorithms in a certain way, and money of ordinary people could be looted. For example, one would get an SMS saying he or she has been offered ₹8,000 to play an online game. Ultimately, that person may lose ₹8 lakh. We don’t have reports of people killing themselves in offline games.”

The lapse of the online gaming ordinance has raised the ire of Tamil Nadu’s political spectrum. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance have submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking the removal of Governor RN Ravi.

The issue has blown up significantly, and the BJP is throwing potshots at the ruling DMK, calling the party and the CMO office inefficient. In a rather unpleasant development, several social media posts trolling the Governor are now trending.

Tamil Nadu Governor Under Fire For Not Approving Online Gaming Bill

The ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) has submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking that Governor RN Ravi is removed. The memorandum, signed by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of SPA, states, “We must place on record our dissatisfaction that the work being done by the Tamil Nadu Government and the Legislature is being obturated by the office of the Governor by openly contradicting its policy in public and unduly delaying assent to Bills.”

It continues, “The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has enacted several important Bills and sent the same to the Governor for assent. We are pained to note that the Governor is unduly delaying assent to the Bills passed by the State Legislature.”

On Thursday, MLA of the ruling DMK party, TRB Rajaa, tweeted, saying that the post of Governor is ‘probably the most useless’ thing in a democracy. He charged that a political appointee was trying to ‘sabotage’ the functioning of an elected regime.

The post of the #Governor is probably the MOST useless thing in democracy. A political appointee trying to sabotage the functioning of an elected regime is a blot on #democracy.#GetOutRavi pic.twitter.com/uuVU6Ivj5K

— Dr. T R B Rajaa (@TRBRajaa) December 1, 2022

BJP State President Annamalai accused the ruling party and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) of blaming the Governor for its own “inefficiency” by not issuing a governor order on the ban as a follow-up to the Ordinance.

இன்று பத்திரிகையாளர்களை சந்தித்த திறனற்ற திமுக அரசின் சட்டத்துறை அமைச்சரான திரு ரகுபதி அவர்கள் ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்டத்தை தடை செய்ய கொண்டுவரப்பட்ட அவசர சட்டத்திற்கு அரசாணை பிறப்பிக்கப்படவில்லை என்று ஒப்புக் கொண்டுள்ளார். (1/3) pic.twitter.com/7pZN1v5ysE

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 1, 2022

Tamil social media has, in the meantime, begun to troll the Governor, and several social media posts have sprung up with the hashtag #GetOutRavi.

The Most Useless Thing in Democracy.
??https://t.co/wzpFtiW9Hz#GetOutRavi pic.twitter.com/gTdenSdQiu

— SandhiyaSAN (@sandhiyaTweets_) December 1, 2022

Rummy Ravi..#GetOutRavi pic.twitter.com/U3gTOq8Kf2

— மாத்தூர் பா.கோபிநாத் (@MathurGopinath) December 1, 2022

RN Ravi is getting money from online Rummy companies. So he's not signing the GO passed by TN Govt. #GetOutRavi pic.twitter.com/YFRaV83nAP

— Sivan ?❤️ (@rmcrazyphoto) December 1, 2022

The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022, is among the 20 Bills pending at Raj Bhavan, awaiting the Governor’s assent. This includes several bills limiting the Governor’s powers to designate Vice-Chancellors in state-run universities. Recently, the Governor had, in his interaction with reporters, called withholding the Bills “a courteous way of saying no.”

Expressing the government’s inability to rush the situation, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy pointed out, “Unless we bring about a constitutional amendment making Governors respond within a stipulated time frame, we can’t demand so.”

The Tamil Nadu cabinet approved the state’s new Orinance to ban online gaming on September 27. On October 7, Governor RN Ravi approved the Ordinance. The government issued a gazette notification on the Ordinance’s passing but did not notify the date for the Ordinance.

he Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, was tabled before and passed by the state assembly on October 20. The subsequent Bill, i.e., the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022, is pending the Governor’s final approval. The Bill will come into force only once the Governor gives his signatory approval to it.

The Governor’s delay on the issue has riled the political parties and locals against him. But without a clear, legal directive, the future of online gaming in Tamil Nadu continues to hang in the balance.

This is a developing story. Keep following PokerGuru for the latest updates!