Ramachandra Gowda

BANGALORE: "I am prepared to quit the Government if the lottery ban does not come into effect in the State," declared Minister for Lotteries and Planning Ramachandra Gowda.

Unfazed by the interim stay by the Karnataka High Court on banning lottery, he said, "I will fight till the last drop of my blood. No one should doubt the integrity and commitment of the Government to ban lotteries."

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said the Government would not budge from its stand and was prepared to take the legal fight up to the Supreme Court.

The Government has submitted an application to the Karnataka High Court seeking vacation of the interim stay granted by a single judge. The court would hear the case on Friday. Mr. Gowda said he had asked Advocate-General Uday Holla to be present in the court when the case comes up for hearing. The Government has in consultation with the Legal Department filed a detailed petition in the High Court, Mr. Gowda said.

"The Government is ready to take the matter up to the Division Bench of the High Court and if necessary, to the Supreme Court."

The Government was even ready to promulgate an Ordinance to impose total ban on all forms of lotteries, he said.

Following the stay order granted by the High Court, a few traders have commenced lottery operations. The Sales Department officials have been instructed to collect tax from such traders.

All forms of lottery have been banned in 16 States. Under Section 5 of the Central legislation, the Lotteries (Regulation) Act of 1998, State governments were free to prohibit the sale of tickets of lottery organised, conducted or promoted by every other, the Minister said.

The lottery operations were responsible for ruining the lives of poor families.

It was the policy of the Government to ban the lottery trade.

Demand

Many self-help groups and women organisations have been demanding total ban on all forms of lottery in the State, Mr. Gowda said.

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