India, May 23 -- The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the central government on a petition seeking regulation of online and offline betting apps, while observing that betting and gambling are "social aberrations" people voluntarily indulge in, that cannot be stopped by enacting a law.

A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, also comprising Justice N Kotiswar Singh, issued notice to the central government but refrained from seeking responses from the states as it first sought to ascertain the feasibility of maintaining the petition after hearing the Union government's response. The court directed a copy of the petition to be supplied to the office of attorney general and solicitor general, seeking their assistance in the case....