Wednesday marked two months since the government notified the amendment to the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964, mandating the Mamlatdars to transfer all tenancy cases to the Civil Courts. While the amendment has kicked up a storm across the State, hearing of the pending cases has come to a complete standstill in the Mamlatdar Courts since the last two months.
The number of tenancy cases pending before the Mamlatdars in South Goa alone is put at 767, with Salcete topping the list with a whopping 456 cases. Inquiries with the taluka Mamlatdars revealed that all hearings of the tenancy cases have come to a stop since the day the government notified the Amendment. And, the cases have not been transferred to the Civil Courts till date, with officials only saying that the process of “paging” the files is currently underway. Litigants, who take usual rounds in the Mamlatdar Courts return back disappointed with the cases neither taken up for hearing by the Mamlatdars nor transferred to the Civil Courts. And, if Collectorate officials are to be believed, it may take considerable time to complete the process of “paging” the files before the files are despatched to the Civil Courts.
Apart from the hearings, questions are raised over the fate of the 18-C cases pending before the Mamlatdar courts. Statistics dished out by South Collectorate officials put the number of 18-C cases to 93, with Salcete again topping the list with 78 cases.
Says tribal leader, Prakash Velip, “We want to know the fate of the 18-C cases. Some of the tenants have paid the purchase price way back in 1993, but sanad has not been issued till date. The government should clarify on those 18-C cases wherein judgements were passed by the Mamlatdars, but the purchase price is not paid. Again, there are some 18-C cases wherein judgement was passed, but were not signed by the concerned Mamlatdar.”
While opposition to the controversial amendment is growing louder, Collectorate officials said they have not received any further instructions from the Revenue Department other than the directions to stop hearing the cases and transfer the same to the Civil Courts.
