Tamil Nadu Governor and Tamil Nadu Online Gambling Prohibition and Regulation of Online Games Bill
The central question is whether Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi was justified in sending back the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022 to the Legislature on March 8 on the grounds that since gambling and betting is done online, it is a cyber crime, and therefore Parliament It is a matter of making law.
Legislative powers are clearly defined and divided. Gambling and betting come under item 34 of the State List.
But to make it online, it cannot dissuade the State Legislature from passing a law on gambling which affects the lives of many people and ruins their families. If this logic were to apply, many offenses which fall under the State List and which are committed online would be offenses against which the State Legislature could not possibly pass a law. This would actually disturb law and order, which is a state subject.
If the Governor had any doubts, he could give his assent and leave it to the Judiciary to decide the substance and substance of the Bill and whether the Legislature had the power or not. Nowadays, the Governor, far from playing the role of an advisor, is now playing the role of an adjudicating authority and creating hurdles in the governance of the State.
The Governor has ceased to be a role model and is playing a political role and not a constitutional one. What should be the role of the Governor has been summarized by the Supreme Court in the case of BK Pavitra Vs Union of India. It held that “the delegation of constitutional discretion to the Governor is based on the belief that the exercise of authority will be governed by constitutional polity. State legislatures represent the popular will of the people who elect their representatives.”
Needless to say that the Governor is acting as the representative of the Central Government contrary to the federal structure and the Constitution.
NGR Prasad,
Chennai
constant shame
In a country where manual scavenging was banned nearly three decades ago (1993), this inhumane practice is still prevalent only because of government apathy, administrative corruption and caste prejudice (Inside Page, March 5). The inhumane act has shifted from village grounds to colorfully painted Nagar Panchayat toilets.
An expert on social exclusion lamented with extreme astonishment: “When Indian science has touched the moon, why is it taking so long to reach our toilets and sewer pipes?”
Ayyasseri Rabindranath,
Aranmula, Kerala
poisonous air
A fire at the Brahmapuram wastewater treatment plant in Kochi, Kerala, is causing an environmental disaster. The fire started on 2 March and toxic air spread 75 kilometers to the south; Alappuzha city reported an air quality index of 300 instead of the average of 120. The question of who is really responsible for this disaster remains unanswered, with the local government and state administration failing miserably to contain the fire.
Kay Soulman,
SL Puram, Alappuzha, Kerala
Food Safety and Health
In today’s busy world people have to work so hard to make a living that there is no time even for well prepared food. From a cup of tea or coffee to dinner, it has become quite common for people to depend on hotels. In many hotels, hot food is wrapped in plastic parceling material. Plastic is bound to melt and enter food. Many people face danger as food safety workers and municipal sanitation workers are looking the other way. Plastic used in food packaging should be banned.
Alamuri Sai Dinesh,
Vuyyuru, Andhra Pradesh