Governor has belittled the Assembly by returning online gambling Bill, says Anbumani

‘Even if he believed that the Assembly did not have the competence, why did he take more than four months to say that’

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Thursday condemned Governor R.N. Ravi for returning the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill passed by the Assembly, after a delay of more than four months.

In a statement, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said the Governor had belittled the State Assembly if he had indeed cited lack of legislative competence as the reason for sending back the Bill, as reported in the media.

Arguing that the Union government and the courts have said that the State Assemblies could legislate on the issue, Dr. Ramadoss, however, asked even if the Governor believed that the Assembly did not have the competence, why did he take more than four months to say that.

Moreover, he asked why Mr. Ravi did not raise such a concern when he had promulgated an ordinance earlier for the same purpose.

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam also condemned the Governor for sending back the Bill after an inordinate delay. The party’s founder-president Vijayakanth, through a statement, contended that the Governor could not send back Bills passed by the Assembly.