SHILLONG:
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that he was surprised at the “drama” surrounding the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.
Various pressure groups and political parties have been demanding the Act be repealed.
Tynsong stated that the chief minister has already said that the government has put an end to the move to set up casinos. He, however, mentioned that the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 will not be repealed.
“I don’t know why they are still on the issue when the state government has clearly stated that we have put a full stop to the setting up of the casinos. But the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 will not be repealed,” Tynsong said.
Meanwhile, on allegations made by its own ally United Democratic Party (UDP) that the plan to allow casinos was not brought to the cabinet for consideration, Tynsong said that initially a bill in the form of ordinance was passed by the Cabinet in 2021.
“We had a discussion on the issue on two or three occasions and then it was approved by the Cabinet and then we notified it in the form of an ordinance,” the deputy chief minister said.
He said later on, in March 2022, during the budget session of the assembly the bill was passed and it became an Act.
“So to say that it was not discussed in the Cabinet is wrong,” Tynsong said
The vice-president of the UDP, Allantry Franklin Dkhar, on Thursday had claimed that the granting of three provisional licences to set up casinos in the state was not taken up in the cabinet.