The growing number of divorce cases in Goa has sparked concern among legislators, with Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar calling for urgent reforms, including the establishment of family courts to address delayed proceedings. Speaking in the Assembly, Tuenkar also suggested introducing mandatory counseling before civil marriages and deploying family counselors at Sub Registrar offices to assist couples early in their relationships.
Supporting the idea, Minister Aleixo Sequeira noted that family courts can be set up in districts with populations over one million, in line with court norms. However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant emphasized that a decision on establishing such courts will follow the appointment of 74 judges currently vacant in the judiciary.
Recent statistics underscore the urgency of the issue. In the last three years, Goa recorded 945 divorces out of 23,902 marriages—averaging about 26 divorces per month. Alarmingly, the trend is accelerating: the first half of this year alone saw 254 divorces among 5,041 marriages, raising the monthly average to 42 and the divorce rate to 5.03%.
Experts attribute the rising numbers to changing social dynamics, poor communication between partners, interference from in-laws, and family disputes. Despite ongoing efforts by religious groups to provide pre-marital counseling and courses, many couples still part ways—often within the first year of marriage.
To address this, the state government is considering making premarital counseling mandatory. The initiative may involve institutions like the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GIPARD), along with support from religious organizations. The goal is to better prepare couples for the challenges of married life and reduce early divorces.
While the government remains cautious about implementing mandatory policies due to divided public opinion, the urgency for reform is clear. Family courts, once judicial vacancies are filled, are expected to play a crucial role in speeding up the resolution of marital disputes and providing much-needed legal and emotional support to affected couples.