PIL filed before the Bombay High Court to prohibit the use of wagering applications Junglee Rummy and Rummy CircleA public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been submitted to the Bombay High Court in an effort to impose a prohibition on the online gambling platforms Junglee Rummy and Rummy Circle.
Ganesh Ranu Nanaware, a social worker based in Solapur, has submitted a petition to the court requesting that the State of Maharashtra take immediate action against these applications, as they are causing grievous social harm, particularly among the youth.
Previously, Nanaware had submitted representations to the President of India, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, requesting that they prohibit the use of the two applications, as per the petition.
In spite of this, the authorities did not take any action, which prompted Nanaware to bring the matter to court.
In accordance with the plea, these applications are addictive and have caused financial hardship for numerous users, some of whom have even contemplated suicide.
According to the petition, “Youngsters are losing their money by playing rummy through these apps, and they are doing suicides.”
The petition contends that these applications violate numerous laws, such as the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act of 1887, the Public Gambling Act of 1867, and the Information Technology Act of 2000.
It also argues that the platforms are in violation of the Indian Penal Code by promoting gambling, which is regarded as a game of chance and is therefore unlawful in numerous regions of India.
The petition is in reference to a response from the State of Maharashtra under the Right to Information Act, which confirms that no permissions have been granted for engaging in such online wagering activities.
The petitioner has also emphasized the role of celebrities in the promotion of these apps, asserting that their endorsements have contributed to the platforms’ popularity and the resulting social damage.
Google India Pvt. Ltd., the provider of servers for these applications, was issued legal notices requesting that they discontinue the hosting of the wagering platforms.
Nevertheless, these notifications were not responded to, and the servers continue to facilitate the operations of Rummy Circle and Junglee Rummy.
In his petition, Nanaware has asked the Court to issue a writ of mandamus that would direct the State to prohibit the operation of these applications and to prevent Google India from providing server support to them.
