Shillong, Oct 14: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has said the plan of the government to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act (MRGA), 2021 through an ordinance would be nothing but an eyewash.
“Repealing of the Gaming Act, 2021 through the ordinance route would be nothing but an eyewash,” VPP vice president Dr KH Shen said in a statement.
“This amounts to fooling the people of the state as unless approved by the Assembly within six months the ordinance would cease to operate thereby the Gaming Act stand revived and re-operationalised,” he said.
Taxation Minister James K Sangma announced the government’s decision to scrap the MRGA, 2021.
Shen said one wonders the real intention of this government and added, “If the announcement is well intended; a special session of the Assembly has to be convened specifically to repeal the Act. But this entails unnecessary and wasteful spending of public money which this government could have easily avoided had they been competent, prudent and sagacious enough in making public policy”.
Shen congratulated the people of the state for the success in forcing the MDA government in making a public declaration that the Gaming Act will be repealed.
The VPP leader said this exemplifies the importance of the role played by conscious and conscientious citizens in democracy that held the government of the day accountable to the people.
He also reminded that the MDA government ensured that the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming (Repealing) Bill 2022 introduced by Adelbert Nongrum, MLA of North Shillong Constituency in the just concluded session of the Assembly was comprehensively defeated.
The VPP also urged the people of the state to be conscious and responsible in electing the representatives in the 2023 Assembly elections.
“Another mistake in 2023 will further push the state down towards the nadir of development and progress from which it would be extremely difficult to revive and restore the state, Shen added.
CM speaks on Gaming Act
After the inauguration of Vivanta hotel, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told reporters that the state government will repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act (MRGA), 2021 through an ordinance which will then be regularised in the Assembly.
“Repealing of the Act can be done through an ordinance and that ordinance can then be passed in the House,” Conrad said.
He said the government had earlier repealed the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood Regulation of Street Vending) Act through an ordinance, which was later regularised in the Assembly.
