Supreme Court Grants Leave In Nagaland's Petition Against Kerala's Regulations On Lotteries From Other States

The Supreme Court today granted leave in a Special Leave Petition filed by the State of Nagaland challenging Kerala High Court's order which upheld the power of the State Government to regulate lotteries from other states.

"Leave granted. Hearing be expedited", said the Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra.

During the hearing, it was observed that the matter would eventually have to go to the Hearing List. "For the similar matter, we have to go into...there is a whole gamut of things...", remarked Justice Roy.

On the petitioners' counsel apprising the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who had been appearing for Nagaland, was on his legs before the Constitution Bench, an accommodation was granted.

Briefly put, the petition assails a judgment dated May 17, 2021 of the Kerala High Court, which upheld the amendments brought to Kerala Paper Lotteries (Regulation) Rules in 2018 (Rules) to regulate marketing and sale of lotteries organized by other States in their own State.

Notice in the petition was issued in 2022. A gist of earlier proceedings can be accessed here.

Counsels for petitioners: Advocates Rishi Agrawala, Parminder Singh, S. Lakshmi Iyer, Shravan Niranjan, and Prathama Vir Singh; AORs EC Agrawala and Rohini Musa

Counsels for respondents: Senior Advocate Pallav Shishodia; AOR CK Sasi; Advocate Meena K Poulose

Case Title: The State of Nagaland and Ors. v. The State of Kerala and Ors., SLP(C) Diary No. 21222/2022 (and connected matter)