THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) would soon serve a show-cause notice on the controversial lottery agent Manju Lotteries before cancelling the agreement with it to run lottery outlets on KSRTC premises.The agency, which was banned by the State Lotteries Department after being caught red-handed while indulging in illegal online trade, runs 50 outlets in various KSRTC bus stations across the state.“We would issue the notice in a couple of days asking the agency to appraise reasons, if any, for not terminating the contract with them,” a top KSRTC official told Express. The Corporation had sent its first notice to Manju Lotteries a couple of weeks back which was apparently challenged by the latter in the High Court.The court on January 13 set aside the Corporation’s order and asked it to take the agency’s version into account before initiating any action. The Corporation was asked to conduct a hearing with the petitioner in a month and to take a decision within three weeks thereafter.The Corporation’s action comes in the wake of a letter from the State Lotteries Department intimating its decision to cancel the licence of Manju Lotteries. The KSRTC’s move is expected to serve a massive blow to the troubled agency, as the sales via these outlets constitute a major chunk of its overall sales.The Corporation had granted sanction to the agency to run outlets in 2007 which was being renewed annually. The award of contract itself had courted controversies at that time. The present agreement is due to expire in the second week of March.Manju Lotteries’ Representative Fails to Turn upThe hearing scheduled by the Lotteries Department with Manju Lotteries on Monday did not take place as the latter’s representative failed to appear. The Department had in November suspended the agency and prohibited it from selling State-run lotteries. Last week, the Department had served a notice on the agent asking to present the agency’s version within seven days or to appear in person for the hearing.Another agent, who was accused of selling lotteries through the outlets of Manju Lotteries during the ban period, appeared for the hearing and pleaded innocence. Two other agents who were accused of violation of agreement did not turn up for the hearing.
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