MARGAO
Ahead of the hearing of the controversial Colmorod land acquisition matter scheduled on January 3 in the High Court, Margao municipal senior counsel Adv Sandesh Padiyar has withdrawn himself from appearing for the civic body in the matter.
The senior counsel has written a letter to the civic body, returning the files of the contempt petition in the matter. Adv Padiyar has also given his no objection certificate for other advocates to appear and plead for the civic body in the case.
Sources in the know pointed out that the Margao municipality is in the process of engaging a senior High Court lawyer based in Panaji to appear for the civic body in the contempt petition. Sources further informed that the senior counsel made his appearance in the MMC on Friday.
Adv Padiyar’s decision to withdraw from appearing for the civic body assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the Margao Municipal Council has expressed strong reservations over the court's directions to the civic body to deposit the land acquisition amount of Rs 2.73 crore in the High Cout.
In fact, at a special meeting of the council held earlier this month, which was also attended by Adv Padiyar, the councillors had objected to the deposit of the amount in the High Court, with a section of the councillors even taking the stand that the land acquisition for the Colmorod road in question should be dropped and the proceedings closed.
When contacted, a senior MMC official said the civic body will sit with the new High Court lawyer and draft the affidavit to be filed on January 3.
It is still unclear what stand the MMC will take in the High Court vis-Ã -vis the contempt petition matter when it comes up for hearing on January 3.
