For now, government prohibited from granting fresh licenses
PANAJI
Armed with the interim order, the petitioner through his advocates, has served notice on the Captain of Ports disallowing new vessels in River Mandovi.
"No further permissions for casino license in the river be granted without seeking permission of this Court. The respondent shall not grant permissions for Casino license during the pendency of the above petition in the river without seeking permission of this Court," the division bench of Justices FM Reis and Nutan Sardesai has ruled.
Petitioner Dr Aquaviva Fernandes argued that given that the term ‘offshore' meant the high seas, the ‘offshore' casinos should be shifted there.
Adv YV Nadkarni, who appeared on behalf of Dr Aquaviva, argued that in terms of Section 13A of the Goa Public Gambling Act, 1976, the casino vessels can operate only in the seas as according to him the dictionary meaning of the word "offshore" is that such activities can be carried out in the seas.
Petitioner Dr Aquaviva Fernandes argued that given the term ‘offshore' meant the high seas, the ‘offshore' casinos should be shifted there
The govt contended that any area beyond the banks of river or land is a "shore", which clearly specifies that ‘offshore' can also be an area within a river
The meaning of the word ‘offshore' prima facie, is in the direction away from the shore and at some distance from the mainland, the court ruled
