Shillong, May 12: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said that the appointment of the chairman of the Meghalaya Gaming Commission was done as per The Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.

Tynsong told reporters that the government has already notified the rules for implementation of the Gaming Act.

“Ultimately the concerned department has to take a call on this…but of course it is already there in the Act. Therefore, the appointment of the chairman is according to the Act and Rules,” he said.

On the demand of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) to nullify the appointment of a retired judge as the chairman of the Meghalaya Gaming Commission, Tynsong said that the government will examine the matter.

On Monday, HYC general secretary Roykupar Synrem had said that the Council demands the government to nullify the appointment of the chairman as the decision taken by the Taxation department on this regard is illegal.

He had alleged that the taxation department had failed to follow what has been written in the Act. There was supposed to be a search committee and accordingly the names shortlisted for appointment of the chairman should be placed before the cabinet for its approval.

“Moreover, the taxation department had also failed to take into consideration the recent statement made by the Chief Minister that the government is yet to implement the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021,” Synrem had added.

The state government had appointed retired Judge of Allahabad High Court, Justice Naveen Srivastava as chairman of the Meghalaya Gaming Commission, which will regulate the gambling activities in the state.