Double-digit lotteries to continue in Punjab

Punjab Newsline Network

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has decided to continue with the sale of double-digit lotteries after Advocate-General HS Mattewal said that the Central Government’s decision to ban the lotteries could not be implemented till the stay on the matter was lifted by the Sikkim High Court.

Punjab earns revenue of about Rs 50 lakh per day from the sale of double-digit lotteries, yielding an annual revenue of about Rs 150 crore.

There was a lot of confusion in the Punjab Government over the issue with senior officials advising the state to ban the double-digit lotteries as sought by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The matter was referred to the AG’s office after there was criticism of the government over the issue. After deliberations, Mattewal on Friday gave his opinion saying that the stay by the Sikkim High Court also extended to the implementation of the directive across India.

With Punjab facing a huge revenue deficit, the generation of Rs 185 crore from lotteries out of which Rs 150 crore is from double- digit lotteries alone is significant. The MHA letter received by the Punjab Government clearly said that the sale of double-digit lotteries should be stopped immediately as it promoted gambling.