Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Goa government and multiple planning authorities in connection with a contentious property matter in Vasco, directing all parties to maintain status quo on possession and any ongoing construction for the next four weeks.
The directive comes in response to a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by social activist Swapnesh Sherlekar.
He has challenged a recent judgment of the Bombay High Court at Goa, which had dismissed his petition questioning the alleged unlawful conversion of a residential property for commercial purposes.
A Bench of the apex court has sought replies from the State government, the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC), the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA), and other concerned respondents. The matter has been made returnable in four weeks.
As an interim measure, the Supreme Court has ordered that the existing condition of the property — both in terms of possession and construction — must not be altered until further hearing.
Earlier, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice M S Karnik and Justice Nivedita Mehta had refused to intervene in the decisions taken by the planning and municipal bodies regarding the disputed property. The High Court also considered related civil applications moved by other stakeholders, including members linked to the Ramodaya Co-operative Housing Society Ltd., as well as individual intervenors.
Sherlekar had initially approached the High Court challenging actions by the State authorities, including the Chief Town Planner (Land Use), and municipal officials in Mormugao.
However, after hearing the matter, the High Court dismissed the writ petition, thereby upholding the decisions taken by the authorities concerning the property.
