Indian Law Commission turns its back on its own report

The Law Commission of India has doubled back on its own recommendations, advising the Indian Parliament to enact a total prohibition of betting and gambling in the country.

The proposal, tabled by union minister of law and justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, stated that legalising betting was “not desirable” as part of the government’s strategy, and “a complete ban must be ensured.”

The statement was made in response to a starred question by Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, asking whether the commission’s July report, Legal Framework: Gambling and Sports Betting including in Cricket in India, would prompt any active policy change.

The study, which took over a year to compose, advised that the the Parliament approve and regulate the gambling industry as a way to mitigate widespread illegal gaming, or agree a framework of regulation to be adopted by individual states.

In the same month, Jose K. Mani of the Kerala Congress and Vijila Sathyananth from the AIADMK asked similar questions as to when legalisation would occur, to which Prasad replied the matter was “under consideration.”

However, Prasad now recommends that legalised gambling, with extensive regulations and “safeguards,” should only be considered if a full ban “cannot be ensured”