Shillong, Nov 9: The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved an ordinance to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act (MRGA), 2021.
After chairing the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “As was announced by the taxation minister, an ordinance was brought and passed by the cabinet to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act (MRGA), 2021.”
Asked when the government will regularize the ordinance, Sangma however said that they are yet to get any clarification on whether to have any kind of session.
“…obviously the mandate is that any kind of ordinance that is passed must be put to the Assembly once the Assembly sits. So in the next sitting of the Assembly whenever it is of course after discussion with the Speaker we will put it up whenever the next session is,” he said.
The government’s decision to repeal the MRGA, 2021 was following stiff opposition from stakeholders including church leaders and pressure group leaders against the setting up of casinos in the state.
This also came after the Khasi Jaintia Church Leaders Forum (KJCLF) organized a special prayer meeting against the government’s adamant attitude towards their demand for closure of casino industry and repealing of the MRGA, 2021.