Govt violating Lotteries Act, HC issues notice

[karira]

As reported by ENS in expressindia.com on 13 May 2008:
Govt violating Lotteries Act, HC issues notice - ExpressIndia.Com

Govt violating Lotteries Act, HC issues notice


Chandigarh, May 13 The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notices to the Punjab government on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate H C Arora.

The petitioner has alleged that as per information procured by him under RTI Act, the department of Punjab Lotteries organises 336 weekly lotteries, 12 monthly lotteries and 4 bumper schemes every year. It has been alleged that that from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm every day, 48 draws of these weekly lotteries are being taken out at Ludhiana.


The result of these draws is published in certain vernacular newspapers every day. The amount of these draws is Rs 100, Rs 300, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,700 among others and the clear targets are the poor people.


“The Lotteries (Regulations) Act, 1998, is thus being violated in the grossest possible manner. These draws are being taken out unmindful of the fact that the said Act calls for strict punishment for head of the department, officers and agents who are involved in organising, promoting and the sale of lotteries in violation of the Act,” read the petition.


The petitioner alleged that the Punjab Lotteries department appears to be concerned only with profits and not with the plight of poor people like labourers who are tempted to invest their hard earned money in these lotteries, and are ruined in the process.


The petitioner, therefore, prayed for restraining the Punjab Government from conducting more than one draw of its lotteries every week.