Right to trade cannot impede on right to life: Madras HC upholds Tamil Nadu's real money gaming regulations
The petitions were filed by online gaming platforms including Play Games 24x7 Private Limited, Head Digital Works Private Limited, Junglee Games India Private Limited.
These companies had challenged the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Activity (Real Money Games) Regulations, 2025. The main contentions were against the bar on under 18 minors from playing the games, mandatory know your client (KYC) registration with Aadhaar number, playing RMGs during blank hours- from 12 am to 5 am and the compulsory pop-up caution alerts for every thirty minutes after the initial one hour and setting of time bound monetary limits. They also stated the state's act and regulations were repugnant with the Information Technology Act of the Centre.
Pointing to the reports on the negative effects of the online RMGs on the physical, mental and financial aspects of a player who in essence is not playing with another human but a pre-programmed computer, the bench held that it would be only fair to ensure the right to life under Article 21 of the player is protected which also encompasses his right to health.
It negated the contention of the online gaming firms that the restrictions of blank hours and age limit are paternalistic in nature.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Job at govt mint highly sensitive, says court, rejects pre-arrest bail pleas of 2
Agreeing with the police's contention that a job in a government mint is a highly sensitive position, a sessions court recently rejected the anticipatory bail application of two employees booked for allegedly using dummy candidates to appear for an online exam for the job. The court was told that departmental inquiry is ongoing against the two and at least five others after it came to light that their photographs of the persons who appeared in the online exam did not match the accused persons, who work at the government mint. The MRA Marg police station of the Mumbai Police had filed an FIR on allegations of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University Board and other Specified Examination, Act. Lokendra Kumar and Aditya Kumar — both residents of Uttar Pradesh — sought anticipatory bail, stating that they are innocent and there is no material to prove that they were involved in such an offence. They also submitted that since a departmental inquiry is already ongoing, their custodial interrogation by the police is not required. Police opposed their pleas stating that the mint is a very important office where coins, commemorative coins, medals, and medallions are produced and gold stocks are held. Police sought to probe whether those named are involved in any espionage and who helped them secure the job. It is suspected that the candidates were involved in the exams given from 2019-2023. 'By perusing the application and the prosecution's say, departmental inquiry is going on against the applicant. It is also alleged that the photograph provided at the time of the examination does not match the actual photograph…,' additional sessions judge, Avinash Kulkarni said in the order, rejecting the pre-arrest bail pleas of both the men, on July 19, which was made available on July 21. 'Accordingly, it is alleged that a bogus person appeared for the examination using applicant's Aadhaar card and other identity documents. The position in question is admitted to be highly sensitive,' the order added. The anticipatory bail pleas of two others are pending. The case relates to a complaint from the Human Resources office of the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India. Police said that after CCTV footage of one of the exams revealed that a person who appeared did not match the photograph of the candidate, a probe was conducted into the recruitment held for the posts of junior assistants and other technical posts and a departmental inquiry was ordered against seven.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Migrant exodus sparks political storm in Gurugram
A police verification drive targeting undocumented immigrants in Gurugram has led to the departure of hundreds of Bengali-speaking migrant families and triggered a political controversy, with opposition leaders accusing the Haryana government of communal bias. A migrant worker settlement in South City 2, in Gurugram Sector 47 near Park Hospital, on Friday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo) The drive, aimed at identifying undocumented immigrants, has reportedly led to 300–400 families leaving shanty settlements, particularly around South City 2, amid fears of detention and harassment. 'Even those with Aadhaar and voter cards are being detained. Police arrive without warning and take people away. Some were even beaten,' a migrant resident claimed, requesting not to be named. 'We didn't come here to break the law—we came to work hard and feed our families,' said Imran Ali, a 32-year-old construction worker from Murshidabad, who left Gurugram last week and is now staying with a cousin in Delhi's Seelampur. 'Police came to our settlement late at night. Even though I showed my Aadhaar card, they said it needed to be verified in Bengal. My wife got scared, packed our things, and we left that same night. I lost my job, and we are now surviving on whatever little savings I had. I don't know when we will go back—or if we even can.' Congress MLA Aftab Ahmed, a senior Meo community leader, alleged the drive is 'unfairly singling out Muslim residents' and 'damaging Gurugram's secular fabric and global image.' He said even individuals with valid documents have been detained and forced to leave. 'This campaign… has turned into a tool for communal victimisation,' Ahmed said, adding he has raised the issue with the state DGP and Gurugram Commissioner of Police, who assured him 'no legitimate Indian citizen will be harassed.' Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini defended the campaign, declaring, 'There is no place for Bangladeshi infiltrators in Haryana; they are being removed as swiftly as possible.' He added, 'No compromise against India's unity, sovereignty, and Constitution is acceptable... the nation's interest will always be paramount.' In response, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the drive, calling it 'linguistic terror' and alleging that Bengali-speaking workers are being deported without proper checks. 'I have been increasingly receiving reports of detentions and atrocities… West Bengal Police is receiving requests from Haryana Police for identity verification,' she said, citing Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports accusing BJP-ruled states of systematic deportations. HRW reports that this has been happening systematically in the BJP-ruled States of Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Delhi, following a directive by the Ministry of Home, Government of India. Shame!! Now, even international human rights organisations have started taking note of the linguistic terrorism unleashed in India. This must stop at once!!' the CM has been attacking the BJP-led Centre, saying that the detention of hundreds of Bengali speaking migrant workers across BJP-governed states was 'a language war and linguistic terrorism' waged on Bengal and its people. TMC MP Samirul Islam backed Banerjee, accusing BJP-led states of 'hiding data on Bengali-speaking migrants' and turning 'national security into a tool of discrimination.' 'No illegal immigrant will be allowed to stay in Haryana. The verification drive is being conducted strictly within the legal framework to ensure the safety and security of all citizens,' said Arvind Saini, media in-charge of BJP Haryana. 'The Congress is raising baseless concerns because their traditional vote bank is being affected. This is not about religion or language—it's about national interest and lawful residency.' Senior Congress leader Pankaj Dawar said many of these families have been in Gurugram for over two decades as domestic workers and labourers. 'They consider Gurugram their home. But now, their lives have been thrown into chaos,' he said. Haryana Police, however, denied any communal angle. 'The process is based on intelligence inputs and legal procedure,' said Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar. 'We are ensuring that no Indian citizen is harassed.' As the controversy deepens, the verification campaign has become a flashpoint in the larger political discourse around migration, minority rights, and state power, according to opposing political leaders. 'The situation is not just a local law enforcement issue anymore,' Ahmed said. 'It's a test of how inclusive and just we remain as a society.'
India Today
6 hours ago
- India Today
'Love Jihad' gang busted in UP's Kushinagar, 2 women among 8 arrested
Kushinagar police have busted a gang allegedly involved in trapping Hindu girls in the guise of "Love Jihad" and forcibly converting them to Islam. A total of eight individuals, including two women, have been arrested in connection with the arrests were made following a complaint lodged by Sunil Verma, who alleged that his 19-year-old daughter was lured and taken to Amritsar, where she was forcibly converted and kept hidden by a group operating as an organised on the complaint, a joint team of local police and cyber cell launched a search operation and recovered the girl safely on Sunday. Police also recovered two Aadhaar cards-one in her original name, Neha Verma, and another issued in her converted name, Parvani Khatoon — along with 11 SIM cards and nine mobile phones allegedly used in the operation. Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Mishra said, "Complainant Sunil Verma of Mahuawa Buzurg submitted an application saying that his daughter was taken from Amritsar and hidden after being converted by some individuals. This was an organised gang, and eight people have been arrested so far. Ashiq Ansari, Imtiyaz, Mohammad Sahab, among others, gave her a new name after conversion and kept her hidden. Further investigation is ongoing."The arrested individuals have been identified as Taufiq Ansari, Ashiq Ansari and his son Imtiyaz, Mohammad Sahab Ansari, Zeeshan Qamar, Mazhar, and two women, Kaiser Jahan and Fatima. According to the police, the accused confessed to being part of a well-organised network that targeted Hindu women for religious claimed the gang pursued the victim over a long period, manipulating her through emotional exploitation and inducements, and ultimately coerced her into conversion. They also said Taufiq Ansari used explicit videos and recorded conversations to blackmail the victim's Jahan and Fatima allegedly played a key role in psychologically manipulating the girl, showing her religious content to influence her FIR has been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. A manhunt is underway to trace other gang members who remain absconding.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Uttar Pradesh
