BANGALORE: The Karnataka Government has decided to take up with the Centre the question of restraining Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya from selling their online lotteries in the State either through the Internet or by other means. Online lotteries have been banned in the State.

Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Lotteries Basavaraj Horatti told presspersons here on Tuesday he will take up the matter with Union Home Minister Shivaraj Patil.

He said he will appeal to the Centre to suspend the lotteries conducted by those States, at least temporarily. The States are selling their lotteries through cellphones and landlines. Sale of lotteries from those States has continued unabated in Karnataka. Agencies operating in Bangalore and which have been authorised by north-eastern States to sell lotteries have been issued show-cause notices, and action will be taken against them after receiving their reply in a week.

The directors of lotteries of the three States, when contacted, said they are not aware of the activities of the agencies, he added.

Mr. Horatti said there is no alternative but to write to the Union Home Minister. Some lottery agents are engaged in "matka" gambling with used or unsold Karnataka lottery tickets and cheating the public. Squads at the State-, district- and taluk-level will be formed to conduct raids on centres selling lotteries of other States and those engaged in matka gambling. These will comprise officers from the Police, Commercial Taxes and Lotteries departments, he added.

Officials blamed

Mr. Horatti said that though rules were framed in December last for booking cases against violators, officials in the three departments are not taking responsibility, and illegal lottery continues in the State. Cases booked against the agencies for collecting the taxes have been stayed. The courts have allowed the Government to collect only 50 per cent of the money involved, and it is losing a revenue of Rs. 20 crores.

The Minister said there is a lack of efforts on the part of the police in curbing matka gambling.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail