BENGALURU: Acting on an appeal by the state government, the High Court of Karnataka on Saturday prohibited Bengaluru Turf Club (BTC) Limited from conducting on-course and off-course racing and betting events.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind passed this interim order upholding the decision of the government to reject an application seeking license submitted by BTC to conduct racing and betting events.
The bench said the interim order issued on June 18 by a single judge permitting BTC to conduct racing and betting events stands suspended and stayed, subject to the outcome of the petitions challenging the rejection of license pending before him.
On June 6, the government rejected BTC’s application seeking license to conduct racing and betting events from April 2024 to August 2024 citing several alleged irregularities in the club.
The bench observed that the discretion to refuse licence could be said to be an exercise, on all prima facie considerations, used reasonably well based on relevant factors. When the discretion was properly exercised by the state, there was no prima facie case for the petitioners -- Bengaluru Turf Club and others -- to seek any interim relief granted by the single judge, the bench said.