MARGAO
The South Goa Advocates Association has demanded the immediate transfer of Salcete Sub Registrar, Arjun Shetye and has asked the government to replace the incumbent official with a full-time sub-registrar.
After deliberating the issue at the Association Executive Committee meeting, Secretary Antonio Clovis Da Costa had dashed a compliant to the Revenue Minister as well as the State Registrar demanding immediate transfer of Arjun Shetye and replacing him with a full-fledged Sub Registrar.
“Previously, all documents which are to be registered before the Registrar were approved within 24 hours by all the previous Sub Registrars. The present Sub-Registrar does not check the documents given for approval for days together and a date for registration is given normally after a week’s time. Once a Will is given for approval, more than a week’s time is taken to check the draft of the Will and thereafter a date of more than 15 days is given for the execution/ Registration of the Will. This is particularly reprehensible as Wills are normally executed by people in old age and delay on part of the Notary Ex-Officio is unacceptable,” Antonio said.
In the case of Registration of Sale of Plots within the limits of the Margao Municipal Council, he pointed out that the present Sub-Registrar insists that parties/ lawyers not known to him must produce a Certificate from a Government Department stating that the Plot/Property subject matter of the Deed is located in the ward as stated in the Deed. No Government Department issues such Certificate and neither any Government Department is authorised to issue such Certificates as no Department has the relevant date to issue such Certificates,” he added.
Antonio claimed that in case the parties are unable to produce such a Certificate, the parties are forced to value the Plot at the highest rate payable in the city, irrespective of the location of the Plot. “The Lawyers / Parties to the Deed are forced to value the Plot at a rate much higher than what is shown in the Official Gazette despite the fact that the Sale Consideration payable by the Purchasers to the Vendors is either the same or more than the rate specified in the Official Gazette. Due to the above acts of the Sub-Registrar, the Purchasers as well as the Vendors will face the wrath of Income Tax officials as the difference between the Value of the Deed and the actual Sales Consideration paid will be considered as “Income from Other Sources” and the Purchasers as well as the Vendors will have to pay huge penalties only due to the high handed behaviour of the present Sub-Registrar,” he added.
