JUDGMENT

R.K. Agrawal, J.

Civil Appeal Nos. 3518-3520

1) These appeals are directed against the common final judgment and order dated 23.05.2006 passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam in Writ Appeal Nos. 2011, 2012 and 2235 of 2005 whereby the High Court dismissed the appeals filed by the appellants herein against the judgment and order dated 27.07.2005 passed by learned single Judge of the High Court in Writ Petition (C) Nos. 14495, 16063 and 19582 of 2005.

2) Brief facts:

(a) The State of Kerala, by notification dated 13.01.2005, issued in exercise of the power conferred by Section 5 of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998, (in short ‘the Act’), prohibited the sale of all computerized and online lottery tickets marketed and operated through vending machines, terminals, electronic machines and tickets sold through internet in the State with immediate effect and declared that Kerala shall be a free zone from online and internet lotteries.

(b) By a subsequent notification dated 27.01.2005, the State of Kerala decided to prohibit the sale of all lotte