MAPUSA
The State’s panchayat dispute-resolution system is facing a substantial backlog, with 5,185 cases pending before the courts of Deputy Directors and Additional Directors of Panchayats, including 2,790 cases that have remained undecided for more than three years.
What makes the backlog particularly significant is that 4,364 of the 5,185 pending cases relate to unauthorised or illegal constructions – accounting for nearly 84 per cent of the total pendency. The figures point to the extent to which disputes and proceedings relating to unauthorised construction have come to dominate the workload of the panchayat authorities exercising quasi-judicial powers. The largest backlog is before the Additional Director of Panchayats-I, Panaji, with 2,470 pending cases. As many as 1,916 of these relate to unauthorised or illegal constructions, while 1,288 cases have been pending for more than three years.
The Additional Director of Panchayats-II, Margao, has the second-highest pendency, with 1,355 cases, of which 1,170 concern illegal constructions. As many as 837 cases have remained pending for more than three years. The court of the Deputy Director of Panchayats, North, Panaji, has 584 pending cases, including 563 involving unauthorised constructions, while 391 cases have crossed the three-year mark. The Deputy Director of Panchayats, South, Margao, has 538 cases pending, including 497 relating to illegal constructions. However, the number pending for more than three years is considerably lower at 135.
The Additional Director of Panchayats-II, Kushavati, has 177 pending cases, including 162 relating to illegal constructions, with 127 pending for over three years.
The Deputy Director of Panchayats, Kushavati, has the lowest pendency at 61 cases, of which 56 concern illegal constructions and 12 have been pending for more than three years. The government has said that efforts are being made to accelerate hearings and dispose of cases at the earliest. However, the panchayat authorities dealing with the cases also have substantial administrative responsibilities, which can affect the pace of hearings.
“Efforts are being made to dispose the cases at the earliest by taking the hearing expeditiously. However, in extreme situations, some cases get postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, particularly when authorities have to attend the official meetings,” Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said. He said the officials function in a quasi-judicial capacity while simultaneously handling other administrative work. The minister also pointed to repeated requests for adjournments by contesting parties as another reason for cases being prolonged. The pendency assumes greater significance in the context of enforcement against unauthorised construction. There have been instances where construction has allegedly continued despite stop-work orders or notices issued by village panchayats and Block Development Officers. Godinho said the Goa Panchayats Raj Act, 1994 gives panchayats the power to take all necessary action for carrying out their statutory functions. This, he said, enables panchayats to take steps to enforce lawful stop-work orders issued against violators. The government has also acknowledged instances where stop-work orders or notices were not effectively enforced. In response, the Directorate of Panchayats issued a memorandum on January 16, 2023, informing all panchayats and Block Development Officers that they were empowered to seek police assistance whenever necessary to enforce lawful orders issued under the Goa Panchayats Raj Act.
Three more Additional Directors proposed to clear pending cases
MAPUSA: Faced with a substantial backlog of cases, particularly those relating to unauthorised constructions, the State government is considering the creation of three additional posts of Additional Directors of Panchayats to expedite the disposal of cases and appeals. Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said the proposal was under consideration as part of efforts to speed up the disposal of cases pending before panchayat authorities exercising quasi-judicial powers.
The move effectively underlines the scale of the pendency confronting the department, with a large proportion of the cases involving unauthorised or illegal constructions. Godinho said efforts were already being made to conduct hearings expeditiously and dispose of cases at the earliest.
