PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday issued notices to Art & Culture and Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar and government authorities in a Public Interest Litigation seeking demolition of an allegedly unauthorised bungalow in Poinguinim, Canacona.
The petition, filed by activist Kashinath Shetye, concerns a structure in Survey No. 20/0 of Poinguinim village panchayat, which Shetye claimed was constructed in 2015 and is unauthorised. The court has posted the matter for hearing on October 28.
In his petition, Shetye stated that the bungalow was constructed in 2015, a year before Tawadkar was elevated to the Cabinet. The minister subsequently acknowledged in an affidavit in 2025 that the bungalow was ‘illegal’. The petitioner further contended that Tawadkar is now seeking to regularise the structure under the State government's “Mhaje Ghar” scheme, even though the property does not fall within the area eligible under the scheme. On that basis, the petition seeks directions for demolition of the structure rather than its regularisation. The court, after briefly hearing the matter, directed that Tawadkar, who has been arraigned as a private respondent, be served notice and posted the matter for October 28 to enable him to file his reply. Other respondents have also been served notice, returnable on the same day.
Shetye has also alleged that Tawadkar did not disclose the bungalow in his affidavit filed for subsequent Assembly elections. He said the issue was being legally examined to determine whether any proceedings could be initiated seeking Tawadkar's disqualification.
