Miscellaneous
Section 13. Compliance with direction of Central Government
Every person shall comply with any direction issued by the Central Government in relation to online money gaming services.
Section 14. Blocking of online money gaming service
In case of failure to comply with the provisions of section 5, section 6 and section 7, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, any information generated, transmitted, received or hosted in any computer resource in relation to online money gaming service shall be liable to be blocked for access by the public in such man ner as provided in that Act. Cognizance of offences. Offences by companies . Non-compliance by any other person . Compliance with direction of Central Government . Blocking of online money gaming service.
Section 15. Power to investigate offences.
Power to investigate offences. Search and seizure of property . Protection of action taken in good faith . Act not in derogation of any other law. Power of Central Government to make rules. 15. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, the Central Government may, by notification, authorise any officer or class of officers of the Central Government, Authority or State Government to exercise t he powers of investigation in respect of offences under this Act.
Section 16. Search and Seizure of Property
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, any officer authorised under section 15 may enter any place, whether physical or digi tal, and search and arrest without warrant any person found therein who is reasonably suspected of having committed or of committing or of being about to commit any offence under this Act.
(2) Where any person is arrested under sub -section ( 1) by an office r other than a police officer as referred to in sub -section ( 1), such officer shall, without unnecessary delay, take or send the person arrested before a magistrate having jurisdiction in the case or before the officer -in-charge of a police station.
(3) The provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 shall, subject to the provisions of this section, apply, so far as may be, in relation to any entry, search or arrest made under this section. Explanation .—For the purposes of this section, “any place” shall include any premises, building, vehicle, computer resource, virtual digital space, electronic records or electronic storage device and the officer may, if necessary, gain access to such computer resource, virtual digital space, electronic records or electronic storage device by overriding any access control or security code, where such code thereof is not available.
Section 17. Protection of action taken in good faith.
No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Central Government or the Authority or any officer of the Central Government or any member, officer or other employees of the Authority for anything which is done in good faith or intended to be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
Section 18. Act not in derogation of any other law
The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, a nd not in derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force and in case of any inconsistency of this Act with any other Act, the provisions of this Act shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, have overriding effect over any such Act .
Section 19. Power of Central Government to make rules
(1) The Central Government may, by notification, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely: ––
(a) such other measures as may be necessary to promote the sector relating to e -sports under clause ( e) of sub -section ( 2) of section 3;
(b) such other measures as may be necessary to promote the sector relating to online social gaming under clause ( f) of sub -section ( 2) of section 4;
(c) the manner of recognising, categorising and registering online games under clause ( b) of sub -section ( 2) of section 8;
(d) such other powers and functions relating to powers of the Authority or agency under clause (c) of sub -section ( 2) of section 8 ;
(e) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed, or in respect of which provision is to be or may be made by rules. 46 of 2023. 46 of 2023.
(3) Every rule made by the Central Government shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule, or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
Section 20. Power to remove difficulties
(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provisions of this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as may be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty.
(2) No order under sub -section ( 1) shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of the commencement of this Act.
(3) Every order made und er this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each House of Parliament. Power to remove difficulties.