Maharashtra Casinos (Control & Tax) Act 1976

The Maharashtra government will have to figure out its stance on the legality of casinos in the state, within six months, after the Bombay high court today ordered it to take a decision on the yet-not-notified Maharashtra Casinos (Control & Tax) Act 1976.

Hariani & Co solicitor Anirudh Hariani briefed senior counsel Mihir Desai and instructed advocate Gaurav Mehta on the petition of Jay Sayta seeking directions to take a conclusive step about the 38-year-old law.

A bench of justices VM Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar today disposed of Sayta’s petition which was filed in February, as reported by Legally India.

Sayta today told Legally India in an email that the bench directed the state government to take a reasoned decision on what it intends to do with the Act. He said that this decision is consistent with the Supreme Court’s year 1988 decision in Aeltemesh Rein V Union of India.

The court has also allowed Sayta to file a fresh petition if he is not satisfied with the Maharashtra government’s course of action on this order.