Chandru panel tables report on online rummy to Stain

CHENNAI: The four-member committee led by retired Madras High Court Justice K Chandru on Monday submitted to the Tamil Nadu government its report on the impact of online rummy in the State.

The committee consisting of IIT professor Mr Sankararaman, psychologist Dr Lakshmi Vijayakumar of Sneha Foundation and ADGP Vinit Dev Wankhede presented its report to Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat.

A release issued by the government on Monday said that the action required to be taken on the committee report would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting to be chaired by Stain later this evening.

If sources in the government are to be believed, a “model law” banning online rummy would soon be enacted in Tamil Nadu, which saw a similar legislation enacted in the previous AIADMK regime struck down by the HC for want of scientific data.

Announcing the committee on June 10 in the backdrop of the State recording a series of suicides allegedly due to losses sustained by online rummy players, the Chief Minister had announced that an ordinance would be promulgated based on the committee’s recommendation considering the immediate need for finding a solution to the social problem (online rummy/ gambling).

The committee was entrusted the task of studying the negative impacts (of online rummy) like financial loss and threat of suicide with relevant data besides examining the social impact of advertisements which tempt people to play online rummy. Identifying appropriate methods to control advertisements for such online games was also among the terms of reference of the committee.

The incumbent government had filed an appeal before the Supreme Court in November last, challenging the HC verdict. Pertinently, similar laws enacted by neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka for banning online rummy also failed judicial scrutiny. The ruling DMK has been facing flak from the opposition for delaying the legislation, more so in the backdrop of the increasing suicides in the State.