The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) a member of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), has asked Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to pause the implementation of the new gambling act, which has drawn much opposition, especially from religious groups.
The HSPDP raised the subject during an MDA coalition meeting here yesterday. The government had been hoping that the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act 2021 would bring in greater revenues for the state exchequer through the creation of casinos near the Assam border (open to tourists only) and by regulating already existing gaming parlours, which operated until now in a legal grey area.
The act should be gone through clause by clause before its implementation, HSPDP leader KP Pangniang said. He admitted that he had yet to read the legislation in full.
“I on behalf of the party feel that it is not appropriate to implement this act immediately in our state,” he said, fearing that it hurts the sentiments of the people in the majority Christian state.
