MARGAO
Have the government’s Saturday revenue courts brought relief to people in tenancy cases in Salcete in particular and South Goa in general? Or, have these failed to evoke the desired effect with the legal fraternity expressing strong reservations?
Officials say it’s too early to assess the success of the Saturday courts, even as city-based lawyers have already conveyed their opposition to holding of the revenue courts on Saturdays. And, caught in the battle between the government and lawyers are mamlatdar and joints Mamlatdars, besides the staff, comprising clerks and peons, who are required to attend to duties on Saturdays without any compensation when their counterparts enjoy holidays during the weekend.
Inquiries by The Goan have revealed that Saturday courts have started functioning in the offices of Salcete mamlatdar and joint mamlatdars after the District Collector’s office issued an order to conduct the hearings on Saturdays.
Incidentally, while the Saturday revenue courts have started functioning, the response has not been positive till date. It is learnt that junior lawyers, who normally handle matters relating to the tenancy cases, have made their appearance before the presiding officers of the revenue courts in most cases to take dates and to seek adjournments.
Presently, the pendency of tenancy cases in Salcete is pegged at around 400 cases, including the cases which were returned back by the civil courts.
The legal fraternity under the banner of South Goa Advocates Association had expressed reservations on the Saturday courts. the association contended that the need to hold courts during the weekends will not arise if the mamlatdars and joint mamlatdars conduct proceedings without frequent adjournments.
The lawyers have attributed the pendency of tenancy cases to the frequent adjournments resorted to by the presiding officers of the revenue courts on grounds of attending to law and order duties and other reasons not related to the proceedings.
President of the South Goa Advocates Association, Adv Antonio Clovis Costa, was not available for comment, but association’s ex-president Adv Rajiv Gomes said the lawyers had opposed the Saturday courts as most of them are bogged down with works in their respective chambers during the weekends, including work of drafting petitions.
In fact, Adv Gomes contended that the pendency could be easily cleared by appointing additional officers to handle the tenancy cases rather than making the legal fraternity, officers and staff to work on Saturdays.
Incidentally, the Saturday courts have deprived the presiding officers, staff comprising clerks and peons of the weekend holiday. “We are forced to come to work when other government officials, clerks and peons enjoy their holiday. The staff is also not compensated by the government for working an extra day,” remarked an official.
