Tamil Nadu law minister S. Regupathy claimed that despite having his queries regarding the online gaming prohibition bill answered; the Governor had sent the bill back. He further insisted that if the bill is again approved in the assembly and sent to the Governor, he should give his assent.

The Governor has sent the bill back after 139 days. RN Ravi stated that the Tamil Nadu Assembly could not introduce a law banning online gaming and that the Tamil Nadu administration lacks the authority to enact the law in his explanation for the bill’s return.

The law minister responded to the reasoning by saying, “When it (bill) was taken to court, it was not dismissed on the grounds that the State Assembly didn’t have the power, but that the reasons given were not acceptable, and the court instructed to bring in a new Bill, thereby making it clear that the Assembly has the authority to draft such a Bill.”

Regupathy said, “We don’t understand on what grounds the Governor has said that the Assembly doesn’t have the authority when the court has made it clear. CM will give a reply after going through the files sent by him.”

TN Law Minister S. Reghupathy says that the legislative assembly will once again pass the same Bill returned by the Governor & thereby compel him to give his assent, as he has the power to return a Bill only once under Article 200 of the Constitution.

M. K. Stalin, the chief minister, has instructed the ministers to examine the situation’s next course of action during today’s cabinet meeting.

In June last year, Chief Minister M. K. Stalin made a statement at the Tamil Nadu Assembly addressing online gaming. After that, the government established a committee under the leadership of retired judge K. Chanduru from the Madras High Court to advise the Tamil Nadu government on implementing new legislation to restrict online gaming.

On June 27, 2022, the committee sent its report to Chief Minister Stalin. The report was submitted for the Cabinet’s review on the same day.

Using the report, a draft ordinance was created with the Law Department’s help and presented to the Cabinet meeting on August 29, 2022. The ordinance was approved and sent to the Governor, who readily gave his assent.

The ordinance was then presented to the legislative assembly to form the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling & Regulation of Online Games Bill on October 19, 2022. The bill was passed unanimously and again sent to the Governor for assent.

This time, the Governor did not give his assent. All political parties urged the governor to pass the bill swiftly. The governor demanded some explanation from the authorities regarding the bill. Law Minister S. Regupathy said that the Tamil Nadu government responded within 24 hours.

Regupathy said that the Governor told him he would give his consent after the doubts were cleared. However, the Governor did not give his assent; during that time, the ordinance banning online gaming lapsed.

It is believed that as many as 44 people have taken their lives due to online rummy after the ordinance lapsed and the ban on online gaming was lifted.