Panaji
The Goa High Court Bar Association on Tuesday came out strongly against the central government's decision to change the jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal to bring Goa under the ambit of the principal bench of the tribunal in New Delhi.
Speaking to The Goan after an extraordinary general body meeting, the Secretary of the Goa High Court Bar Association said that the association of lawyers "condemned the decision".
"The members were of the opinion that decision to transfer the territorial jurisdiction of matters arising from Goa before the NGT from the western zone at Pune to the Northern zone at Delhi is arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable and lacks transparency," João Abreu Lobo said.
"The members were also of the opinion that by this action, the doors of justice were sought to be shut to the aggrieved parties. Not only the forum will become inaccessible but also the cost of litigation will be higher," he said.
The Bar Association has said that the president of the association would seek leave of the High Court hearing the suo moto writ petition against the government's notification to address the court on the issue.
"It is therefore resolved that the action taken by the notification dated August 10, 2017 published in the Gazette of India be objected to and condemned and that the president of the Goa HC bar association should seek leave of the HC to address the court in the suo moto writ petition when the same is taken up for hearing on September 5," Abreu Lobo said.
At the meeting several leading advocates were present including Adv Norma Alvares, Adv Ryan Menezes and others
The High Court Bar Association had quickly taken cognisance of the government's decision to transfer the cases to Delhi and bring Goa under the jurisdiction of the principal bench of the tribunal and summoned an extraordinary general body meeting to discuss the issue.
The Bombay High Court at Goa is due to hear several of the suo moto writ petitions as well as four other petitions filed by various petitioners including the Goa Foundation, Kashinath Shetye as well as several other individual petitioners against the order alleging denial of access to justice among other contentions.
The Bombay High Court at Goa has asked the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to respond explaining why they took the decision.
