Gujarat HC Poker hearings moved to January 2020

A division bench of the Gujarat High Court comprising of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice AJ Shastri did not hear appeals challenging ban on poker in Gujarat on the scheduled date of 19th December.

Letters patent appeals filed by Indian Poker Association Secretary KN Suresh, Dominance Games Private Limited, Aman Chhabra and Hotel Ramada, Ahmedabad against a single judge bench’s order ruling poker to be a game of chance have been pending for the last two years, since December 2017, without substantial progress.

On 18th November, 2019, the bench on a plea made by Senior Advocate and Barrister Nakul Dewan representing the appellants recorded that the matter be taken up on 19th December, with permission to mention the matter before the bench on the date.

The High Court had also indicated that it would try to expedite the hearings and ensure early disposal of the appeals.

However, the bench could not hear the matter once again on 19th December due to other matters listed on board. The next date of hearing is now 8th January, 2020.

It remains to be seen if the hearings will gather steam in 2020 or will once again be put in cold storage by the court.