PANAJI: The Bombay High Court slammed the Goa government yesterday after officials of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) sealed the historic Lyceum buildings at Altinho, Panaji, without any order or consent from the court. The bench directed that the locks be removed before the end of the day, stressing that the premises are still in the High Court’s possession even though operations shifted to Porvorim in 2021.
The Lyceum buildings housed the High Court for two decades before the move to the new complex. Despite repeated requests from the state, possession of the old premises has not been handed over and remains with the High Court administration.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe took up the matter after a letter from the High Court registrar at the Goa bench flagged the sealing. Advocate General Devidas Pangam, appearing virtually, admitted that GIDC had locked the premises, citing a government communication of August 21 seeking possession to develop the site into a Mediation Centre. He assured the bench that the state was prepared to provide land, infrastructure, and funding for the centre.
When pressed on the authority under which GIDC acted without court permission, Pangam sought time to file a response. Later, he reiterated the government’s commitment to establishing the Mediation Centre but warned that the “dilapidated condition” of the Lyceum buildings posed a risk to nearby residents.
Advocate Rahul Nerlekar, appearing for the High Court, produced a Law Department letter dated August 29 confirming that the question of possession is still sub judice.
Taking note of these submissions, the bench ordered GIDC to remove the lock by evening and report compliance. “Leaving these concerns aside for the moment, we take on record the statement that the lock shall be removed today itself,” the judges observed. The matter will be heard again on September 17.
