JUDGMENT :

J.B. PARDIWALA, J.

1. By this writ application under Article 226 of the Constitution of India filed in public interest, the writ applicant, a practicing advocate, has prayed for the following reliefs:

“(A) Hold and declare playing on online gambling in Virtual Space/World Web/Cyber Space, through Mobile Applications as well as through Computers more particularly “online rummy” to be bad and illegal as much as it is in violation of the provisions of Section 4 and 5 of The Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887:

(B) Pending admission, hearing and final disposal of this petition, pass orders to ban/restrict “online gambling”, “online rummy” in the State of Gujarat;

(C) To pass any other and further orders as may be deemed fit and proper to this Hon'ble Court.”

2. The case put up by the writ applicant, in public interest, may be summarized as under:

2.1 It is pointed out by the writ applicant that the “online gambling” websites/mobile apps (applications) are mushrooming at an alarming level. It is pointed out that several “online gambling” apps are promoted and targeted in the State of Gujarat too. Such gambling platforms are thus engaged in illegal activities, however, the same