The Comptroller & Auditor General of India has suggested the State government to relocate all teer counters operating within 100 meters of nearest educational institutions and places of worship in Shillong and Tura.
The CAG in its State Revenues for the year ended 31 March, 2023 report revealed that there are 31 teer counters found operating in the prohibited areas.
According to Section 6(1) of the Meghalaya Regulation of the Game of Arrow Shooting and the Sale of Teer Tickets Act, 2018 (amended 2019), teer counters should be at least 100 meters away from places of worship or educational institutions.
The CAG said to ascertain the location of teer counters a joint physical verification (JPV) was conducted of 42 teer counters selling teer tickets in Shillong and Tura.
The report also revealed several deficiencies in implementation of the Act from July 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022 such as poor monitoring against unauthorised teer ticket sales. The JPC conducted revealed selling of teer tickets on the back page of the printed teer books by all test checked bookmakers. Though the Excise, Registration, Taxation & Stamps Department acknowledged the issue, the CAG said it failed to rectify it.
The department also failed to levy compensation as penalty for delayed submission of applications for renewal of licences by 65 bookmakers and two organisers has resulted in non-levy of penalty amounting to Rs 4.95 lakh.
During the period from March 2019 to March 2022, 1,375 teer books were issued to 101 bookmakers who do not have a valid licence. “This not only violates the MRGAS&STT Act, 2018, but also indicates large scale prevalence of unauthorised bookmakers in the jurisdiction of the sampled SsT offices.
Audit also observed 250 cases of illegal sale of teer tickets during inspection in the jurisdiction of the eight selected offices. “No record was found to indicate action being initiated to levy penalty from unauthorised bookmakers which resulted in non-realisation of penalty amounting to Rs 12.50 lakh,” the report said.
The CAG recommended the department to ensure that only teer tickets as per the prescribed format should be sold by the bookmakers. The minimum sale price must be clearly displayed on the front of the ticket, with space provided to indicate the bet value.
Additionally, tickets should include a QR code or barcode, to enhance the system’s efficiency, promote transparency, and security, benefiting both operators and customers.
The license renewal process for eligible bookmakers may be expedited, ensuring compliance to the Act. Responsibility may also be fixed on officers who issued teer books to unauthorised bookmakers, it said.
It further suggested putting a stop in operations of unauthorised organisers by enforcement of applicable penal provisions of the Act and to fix responsibility on officers who failed to stop illegal operation of teer organiser.
The penal provisions for violation of the prescribed rules by the bookmakers and organisers may be enforced as per Act/Rules. Responsibility may also be fixed on officers who failed to levy penalty on bookmakers/organisers who violated the provisions of the Act/Rules, the report added.
