After failing to get the clearance in time from the government, the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) has cancelled the races scheduled for the weekend.
The club had obtained licence for the month of May but heavy rain saw the races scheduled on the final two race days of the month -- May 27 and 28 – getting postponed to June 3 and 4.
Due to the ongoing Criminal Investigation Department probe on the club, the finance department, which grants the licence, waited for clearance from the law department. By Friday, the file had come to the chief minister, who has the authority to take a final call.
BTC’s top officials, including chairman Y Jagannath, met Siddaramiah on Friday but there was no relief for the club as the chief minister sought time to study the issue. The chief minister has called for another meeting with the BTC members on Monday.
A BTC official said though the chief minister had raised his concerns on certain issues, the meeting eventually ended on a fruitful note. “The government’s earlier orders on shifting the club and increasing the club membership were discussed. The chief minister wasn’t happy the BTC hasn’t yet responded favourably to these directives. The club officials put forward a solid case regarding the licence. The chief minister eventually promised to resolve the issue in the coming days,” a BTC committee member told DH.
Jagannath said he was happy with the meeting. “We have been promised a solution and I thank the chief minister for a patient hearing. Had we got a chance to meet him a couple of days earlier, we could have probably put an end to this problem. However he was busy but we are glad we have been given some hope,” he said.
According to the BTC website, June 10 is the next race day.
Published 02 June 2017, 19:37 IST