Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa closed the writ petition challenging the construction licence granted for the proposed Unity Mall project in Chimbel, after the petitioner opted to withdraw the case following fresh action initiated before the Directorate of Panchayats.
During the hearing, Advocate Dinesh Naik, representing the Chimbel Village Panchayat, produced a notice dated December 2, 2025, issued in a revision petition pending before the Deputy Director of Panchayats, North Goa. The revision challenges the November 28 High Court interim order that had put on hold the Block Development Officer’s direction compelling the Panchayat to issue the construction licence.
Naik informed the court that petitioner Govind Shirodkar has already been named as Respondent No. 2 in the revision proceedings before the Deputy Director. He added that both Shirodkar and the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) — listed as Respondent No. 1 — had received hearing notices, with the matter scheduled for 4 pm on Thursday.
In view of these developments, Shirodkar sought permission to withdraw the High Court petition so he could participate in the proceedings before the Deputy Director of Panchayats. The Bench allowed the request and disposed of the matter as withdrawn.
Previously, the High Court had stayed the BDO’s order directing the Chimbel Panchayat to issue the licence to GTDC. Shirodkar had argued that the BDO lacked jurisdiction to intervene in the Panchayat’s decision, insisting that any challenge should have been routed through the Deputy Director or Additional Director of Panchayats.
The licence had been earlier rejected by the Village Panchayat following a Gram Sabha resolution opposing the project. The State government had assured the court that it would proceed with the mall only after securing all statutory permissions.
