VASCO: The Goan advocates have considered filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court demanding a separate High Court for Goa. The demand for separate High Court for Goa has been renewed after the comparatively new Telangana State got the decks cleared for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh High Court in to a new Telangana High Court.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday issued the order to bifurcate the Andhra Pradesh High Court and pave the way for a setting up of Telangana High Court. Both the States have had a common high court at Hyderabad and Telangana has been demanding for a separate High court ever since it was created.
Speaking on this issue, senior Adv Anacleto Viegas said, “If Telangana which was born just yesterday can get an independent High Court, why shouldn’t Goa get one? Our state is much earlier in time, our statehood and judiciary are much older in time. Portuguese had a judicial system 450 years ago, while the British in India are just 250 years old,” Viegas said.
“Now we are being deprived and nobody is listening as it is happening out of the state,” he said.
Viegas also said that it took 40 long days for the former chief minister Digamber Kamat bail plea hearing last year and was later ordered that it was not to be heard at that court. “This indicates clear interference in the Bombay High Court at Goa,” he said adding that he isn’t accusing the courts of corruption but “here are numerous such examples which create the need for separate High Court for Goa.”
“So many young advocates have learnt the art of advocacy at the High Court. In addition to that why should we build a court and hand it to Bombay High Court? The expenses we incur in running the HC is as high as Rs 10 crore in which we can run 5 courts in Goa,” Viegas said.
He also said that the Judges transferred to the Bombay High Court at Goa get their staff along, which includes peons, stenos and others. “If we get our independent court our fellow Goans will get the much needed employment too,” he said.
Justice (retired) F M Reis said that if a demand is being made for separate High Court for Goa, then, it is a good effort. However he maintained that the present setup of High Court at Goa is good considering the low pendency of cases.
