It is understood that the Indian Poker Association (IPA) has mentioned the pending poker matter before a vacation bench of the Gujarat High Court for urgent adjudication, in light of recent raids by the Gujarat police on poker rooms in Ahmedabad and Surat.
IPA has claimed that poker is a game of skill and consequently playing the game is an activity that is protected under the right to free trade and commerce, which is guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. IPA has also stated that the recent raids on poker rooms and harassment of poker operators by the police is not justified.
The state of Gujarat on the other hand has claimed that playing poker amounts to gambling and consequently has to be prohibited.The Gujarat government has also sought more time to respond on the matter following which the matter has been listed for hearing on 22nd May, 2017.
KN Suresh, Secretary of IPA said that he was confident that the court would rule in his favour on 22nd May and that games would resume in Ahmedabad very soon. He added that Senior Advocate SV Raju has been retained by IPA to appear on its behalf in all subsequent hearings.
It is understood that the other poker clubs who had filed petitions before the High Court have not yet joined hands with IPA in asking for urgent adjudication of the matter.