Shillong, May 9: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Central Body, doesn’t agree with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s justification the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and Rules is being implemented to generate revenue for the state. It met the Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong on Monday to express its objection to the enactment and implementation of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and Rules in the State.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, HYC general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said the State has already legalised other gambling and gaming activities like lottery, teer and other ‘games of chance’ and, therefore, the HYC does not want the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, to add more gambling activities in the state.

“In the memorandum submitted to the Government of Meghalaya through the Deputy CM, the HYC has demanded to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 as well as the Rules,” said Synrem.

Taxation Department already implementing the Act

Synrem also stated that Taxation Department has already appointed one retired Judge of Allahabad High Court as the Chairman of the Meghalaya Gaming Commission. Ironically, Synrem said the statement made by the Chief Minister and Dy CM stated that the state government is yet to implement the this Act but the Taxation Department has setup the Meghalaya Gaming Commission in which the commission will regulate these gambling activities in the State.

“This just shows that whatever has been said by the Chief Minister, the Taxation Department has taken (it) into consideration,” he said.

“We have also demanded that the appointment of the retired Judge as the chairman of the committee should be nullified,” he added.

The appointment of the Chairman of any permanent Commission should be done by the Search Committee and has to follow certain procedures where names should be put up on the table of the Cabinet, he informed.

Synrem said that the Deputy CM has assured that the government is unhurried to take any decision but will have further discussion before taking the final call.

‘Flaws’ in the act

Synrem further informed that the Act did not specify the exact locations where these activities will be allowed. Secondly, the Rules stated that local organisations are allowed to hold these activities and lastly the Rules define a player as someone who has attained the age of 18 and above. “So how can the government say only outsiders can play, and in which places these gambling parlours will be located?” questioned Synrem.

He stressed that prior discussion should take place with the religious institutions and other stakeholders before the government takes any decision on this issue.

HYC doesn’t buy ‘revenue generation’ story

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has stated that the sole aim of introduction of the gambling activities under the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, and Rules is to generate revenue.

On this, Synrem said that there are different other modes to generate revenue. The HYC suggested that government should cut down on appointments of Chairmen and Co-chairmen of different Boards and unnecessarily spending on ‘Festivals’ which does not bring any benefit to the State, besides slashing down remuneration of MLAs and MPs.

Mentionably, various church leaders have urged the Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.