East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh today said that civil society groups should have made their opposition to the legalisation of gambling known sooner.
When the legislation was introduced in the Assembly, the opposition objected to it but everyone else was sleeping, she added.
It is only recently that civil society groups, especially religious organisations, have come out in vociferous opposition to the legalisation of gambling in Meghalaya. What may have thrown them off earlier is that the legislation refers to ‘gaming’ (it is formally called the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules 2021).
“We anticipated that there would be resistance from various organisations but not even one came forward while the bill was tabled to the time that it had been passed,” Lyngdoh said.
Even public representatives such as herself are unsure about just what sort of activities will be allowed under this legislation, she admitted.
Another obstacle she foresees is obtaining permission from the district councils, dorbar shnongs, etc for the establishment of casinos or gaming parlours.
Given that there have been so many negative reactions, the MLA, who sits on the treasury benches, said that the government should sit with stakeholders to discuss how they will put the legislation into practice.
“We have debated in the house who will be allowed to gamble, where these activities will take place, other procedures, etc but, unfortunately, we did not get much support,” she stated, adding that the government is empowered to execute acts once they are voted through by the Assembly, so this public opposition should have come when the gambling rules were being debated.
