Strict legal action will now be taken against those involved in gambling and operating gambling dens in public places in Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand Public Gambling Prevention Bill provides for a minimum of three months to a maximum of five years in prison, and a fine of between five thousand and one million rupees for those involved in gambling. The cabinet approved it on Friday. The Uttarakhand Public Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, will be tabled in the upcoming assembly session. Furthermore, the Uttarakhand Language Institute Act was amended to include the Nepali Academy.
Currently, the Central Government’s Gambling Act of 1867 is in force in the state. This Act provides for a nominal fine for gambling in public places and operating gambling dens. With the enactment of the Public Gambling Prevention Act, stricter action has been taken against gambling and betting in the state. According to this, gambling in public on roads and streets can result in a punishment of three months’ simple imprisonment, a fine of five thousand rupees, or both. Gambling at home will be punishable by two years in prison or a fine of ten thousand rupees; running a gambling house will be punishable by five years in prison or a fine of one lakh rupees, or both. Running gambling activities such as betting or syndicate activities will be punishable by a minimum of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to one million rupees.
These proposals approved
Nepali Academy gets a place
The Uttarakhand Language Institute Act, 2018, currently includes Hindi, English, Urdu, and Punjabi languages. Now, the Cabinet has approved the Uttarakhand Language Institute Amendment Bill, which includes the Uttarakhand Nepali Academy. This will promote Nepali literature. Additionally, the Uttarakhand Private University (Amendment) Bill has been approved. This amendment will establish a private university named Tulaj and Shivalik University in Nainital district.
The tenure of the Chairperson and members of the Minority Commission will be reduced to three years.
The Cabinet also approved the Uttarakhand Minority Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The amendment reduced the tenure of the Commission’s Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and members from five years to three years. The Minority Commission was established in 2002 to protect the constitutional rights of the Muslim, Jain, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi, and Sikh minorities in the state and to accelerate social and economic development.
Act approved to provide one-time reservation for ex-servicemen in government jobs
On May 22, 2020, the Personnel Department issued a government order stipulating that if a former serviceman once secured a government job through reservation, he or she cannot claim reservation for any other government post in the future. Following this, the High Court ordered the enactment of an Act to implement this provision. Now, the Cabinet has decided to enact an Act to provide reservation benefits instead of a government order
