The Karnataka High Court has intervened by staying a state government order from June 6 that suspended horse racing and associated activities, including betting, at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC). The interim order, issued on Tuesday, came in response to petitions filed by BTC, along with associations representing horse owners, trainers, jockeys, and punters.
The High Court deemed the government’s decision to withhold license renewals for horse racing and betting as arbitrary and unjustified. Justice S R Krishna Kumar, presiding over the bench, highlighted that the petitioners had presented a strong prima facie case. He highlighted that denying licenses would cause irreparable harm and hardship to the stakeholders, asserting that justice would be compromised if the order stood.
Furthermore, the High Court underscored that horse racing is recognized as a game of skill, a stance upheld by the Supreme Court. Hence, the Karnataka government’s justification for withholding licenses based on alleged illegal activities related to racing and betting was deemed illegitimate. The court condemned the decision as unlawful, discriminatory, and in violation of natural justice principles.
The state government had cited a police investigation into purported illegal betting activities at BTC as the basis for its order. This decision was executed by the Home and Finance departments after rejecting BTC’s applications to conduct horse racing and obtain betting licenses.
The interim stay by the Karnataka High Court effectively allows BTC and its affiliates to resume operations pending further legal proceedings. The ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute between the state authorities and stakeholders in the racing and betting community.
