Karnataka HC prohibits racing, betting activities at Bangalore Turf Club for now

Bengaluru: A division bench of the Karnataka High court on Saturday prohibited horse racing and betting activities at Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) till the petitions filed by the BTC and others are decided before the single bench. A division bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind passed the order on the appeal filed by the state government challenging the interim order passed by the single bench.

On June 18, the single judge bench had passed the interim order permitting BTC to conduct and carry on all on-course and off-course racing and betting activities. The single bench had passed the interim order and stayed the June 6, 2024 state government order rejecting the representation filed by BTCL seeking licence to conduct on-course racing between June and August 2024.

The BTC had scheduled racing activities on June 22 and June 23 following the interim order passed by the single bench. The petitions before the single bench were filed by the BTC, the associations representing the horse owners, jockeys, punters and the trainers had initially with a grievance that the state government was not considering their applications. The petitioners amended their prayer after the state government rejected their request on June 6, primarily citing the ongoing criminal proceedings pertaining to GST evasion and the charge sheet filed in that case.