The Rummy Federation (TRF) Representing the Country Online
Rummy Companies Clarifies Its Stand on the Supreme Court Hearing Regarding the Petition by Krida Games Pvt Against the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu
The Rummy Federation (TRF) Representing the Country Online Rummy Companies Clarifies Its Stand on the Supreme Court Hearing Regarding the Petition by Krida Games Pvt Against the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu
Chennai, October 10, 2017: We are writing to you on behalf of The Rummy Federation (TRF), which constitutes of the country’s leading online rummy companies, to give you some clarificatory details on the coverage of the Supreme Court hearing regarding the petition by ‘Krida Games Private Limited’ against the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Please note that post the ordinance in Telangana, our member companies have stopped offering our services within the State of Telangana.
Key update: We would like to inform you that the Supreme Court has not passed any ruling on the constitutionality of the recent amendments passed by the Telangana government. The online rummy companies that are petitioners in the ongoing proceedings at the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court were not party to the Supreme Court petition and only Krida Games -an offline rummy club operator was the petitioner. The Supreme Court has merely expressed its disinclination to entertain the petition while granting liberty to the Petitioner, Krida Games to instead approach the respective High Courts, including in the High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where proceedings are already under way. Further, there are no ordinances or recent amendments to the law in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to restrict online games of skill.
Summary of the Supreme Court proceedings in the Krida matter: . Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, the learned Senior Advocate appearing for the State of Telangana made a principal argument against the maintainability of the captioned writ petition that the matter, being one that largely pertained to the state of Telangana, was already pending before the Hyderabad High Court.
The Bench heard the submissions of Mr. Soli Sorabjee, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Writ Petitioner who argued that under Article 213 of the Constitution, an essential condition for promulgation of an ordinance was the existence of circumstances that rendered it necessary for the Governor to “take immediate action”, when the State Legislative Assembly was not in session. Mr. Sorabjee sought to impress upon the Bench that it is hard to conceive what the possible circumstances requiring “immediate action” could have been in the present case, especially in the context of the promulgation of the Second Ordinance dated 08.07.2017 so closely after that of the First Ordinance dated 17.06.2017.
The Bench subsequently dismissed Krida’s writ petition and granted Krida the liberty to approach the appropriate High Courts to take up the matter because the core issue was already a subject matter of adjudication before the Hyderabad High Court.
TRF viewpoint: On behalf of The Rummy Federation, Mr. Malay Kumar Shukla (Secy), has the following view – “The Supreme Court upon being informed about proceedings in the High Court challenging the Telangana ordinances directed that the proceedings in the High Court of Telangana and AP continue. Today’s decision by the Hon’ble Supreme Court order is to ensure that there is no multiplicity of litigation in this matter and in line with its earlier order, it was only appropriate to let the Hon’ble High Court decide the case on its merits”
