PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has extended its interim order restraining the entry of a new high-capacity offshore casino vessel into the Mandovi River, directing that the stay will continue till the next hearing on August 18.
The Division Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Hiten Venegavkar passed the order on Monday after granting petitioner ‘Enough is Enough’ two weeks to file a rejoinder to the affidavit submitted by the respondent casino company.
The Bench directed that the rejoinder be filed within two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on August 18 at 2.30 pm.
The Bench further ordered that the interim order passed on May 6 “continue in operation till the next date of hearing.”
The interim order bars the new offshore casino vessel from entering or operating in the Mandovi River without prior permission of the High Court.
In its May 6 order, the court had observed that the vessel did not possess the mandatory certificate of survey and ruled that it could not sail in the Mandovi without first obtaining all requisite certificates and permissions, and in any event, without the prior permission of the court.
The Bench had also directed that if the Goa government proposes to permit casino operations on the new vessel, it must first place its decision before the court. It further held that any amendment to the existing licence to replace the 70-passenger MV Royale Floatel with the new vessel cannot be effected without the court's prior leave.
During the earlier hearing, the court had questioned the State government’s submission that the vessel was fit for sailing, noting that it had been brought to Goa as “dead cargo” and that the certificate of survey had not yet been issued.
The petition has challenged the induction of the proposed 112-metre vessel, which is presently berthed at the Mormugao Port Authority.
