PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday directed the State government to file an affidavit in connection with a petition challenging government’s decision to ban the entry of Goans in casinos.
Petitioner Shukra Usgaonkar has claimed that the rule is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, which states that the rights and freedoms set out in the Act must be protected and applied without discrimination.
The writ petition specifies that certain provisions of the Goa Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976 which was amended in 2012 and came into force last year, is a blatant violation of the Constitution.
“The amended provision bans entry of permanent residents of Goa while only tourists or non-Goans are allowed. It is a clear discrimination of Goans and non-Goans,” the petitioner said.
The court has asked Advocate General Devidas Pangam to file an affidavit while arguments will continue next week.
The State government, last year, notified the Goa Public Gaming (Amendment) Act 2012 to restrict entry of Goans into six offshore and nine onshore casinos in the State with effect from February 1, 2020.
The Commissioner of Commercial Taxes was appointed as the Gaming Commissioner to keep a track of entrants to the casinos. However, till date, no rules are framed in this regard as gaming rules are yet to be finalised.
The casinos, which were shut since the pandemic struck Goa in March 2020, resumed operations from September 20. The government has further extended licence for operations in River Mandovi by another year citing that alternate site to relocate the vessels are not identified so far.
