Govt declines to postpone event
PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa posted for Thursday the hearing in the public interest litigation petition challenging the state government’s decision to hold the seafood festival on the Miramar beach after a day of hectic developments that saw the state advocate general tell the court that it was not possible to postpone the festival that is scheduled to be held from February 9-11.
On Tuesday, the state government told the court that it would file an application seeking the High Court’s permission to hold the festival at the beach after the State was confronted with its own undertaking given before the High Court that there will be no festivals held on the Miramar beach.
On Wednesday, the HC division bench asked whether the government was willing to postpone the festival in view of the ‘last-minute’ nature of the application that was filed before the court. However, the government told the Court that it was unwilling to postpone the festival. The HC will now hear the matter on merits on Thursday.
The HC is hearing a petition filed by former CCP councillor Patricia Pinto and others who pointed out before the court an undertaking that the State had given nearly two decades ago that there would be no events held at the Miramar beach.
When confronted with its own undertaking, the state told the HC that an application along with affidavits will be filed.
