In a response to DMK leader R Siva’s call attention motion, which asked for action to be taken to ban online rummy games, Puducherry law minister K Lakshminararyanan stated in the assembly today that a bill to outlaw online rummy games in the union territory has been drafted and would be forwarded to the Centre for approval.

“There is no second opinion on the part of the government to ban the game. We have already prepared a Bill to ban it and after getting approval of the Centre, the Bill would be placed on the table of the House for a detailed debate and after adoption of the Bill the necessary Act would be enforced,” said the minister.

Siva emphasized the necessity of outlawing the game earlier as well while making the call to attention motion. Also, BJP legislator P M L Kalyanasundaram noted that there have been cases of gamers falling victim to the game in the state.

Meanwhile, L Sampath, another DMK member, claimed that he has prepared a regulation to ban online rummy and presented it to the Puducherry government.

The calls to ban online rummy in Puducherry have grown since late last year. In October 2022 former CM Narayanasamy requested an emergency ordinance similar to Tamil Nadu to ban online rummy.

At the time, Narayanasamy had also congratulated the Tamil Nadu government for banning online rummy. Later in December, he urged the government again to pass an ordinance in the matter, saying that Home Minister Namassivayam had assured that a legislation to ban online rummy would be introduced.

Narayanasamy had further said that the game was spoiling the lives of several families and the government needed to take immediate action against it.