The Calcutta High Court is addressing a petition that contests the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act-2025. The court has requested a response from the central government concerning this matter. The petitioner claims the Act could jeopardize the livelihoods of many. Justice BM Shyam Prasad, presiding over the case, has granted the government time to prepare a response. Additionally, the petitioners are permitted to present detailed arguments supporting their application for an interim stay on the Act’s implementation. The petitioners’ legal representative argued that even though the President has approved the Act, it has not been officially announced yet. The petitioners maintained that immediate enforcement would significantly harm the industry. They stated that if the industry is shut down immediately, the consequences will be severe. The petitioners also argued that the government should either delay the notification pending consideration of their concerns, or at least provide a week’s notice to allow for legal recourse. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the central government, highlighted that this case marks the first judicial review of the law’s validity, considering its cross-border implications. He asserted that once a law is passed by Parliament and receives presidential assent, the notification becomes a standard constitutional procedure. Mehta argued that the courts should not intervene at this stage, adding that the fact that someone feels aggrieved does not automatically require the government to provide advance notice before notifying the law. The court inquired about the government’s plans for immediate notification of the law. Mehta stated he would seek instructions from the government. The hearing was adjourned, and the court instructed the central government to file its response along with the arguments presented by the petitioners seeking interim relief.
