MARGAO: The implementation of Saturday courts in the South district has encountered a temporary halt due to the Lok Sabha elections. This interruption has resulted in a delay in the disposal of pending cases, disrupting the judicial process in the district. With the focus on conducting free and fair elections, resources and attention have been redirected, leading to the postponement of routine court proceedings.
According to senior officials from the South Goa District Collectorate, Saturday courts are slated to resume their operations only after the completion of vote counting for the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa. This decision stems from the engagement of all Mamlatdars and other officers in election duties, leading to their unavailability for court proceedings. Once the electoral obligations are fulfilled, the resumption of Saturday courts will enable the disposal of pending cases, restoring normalcy to the judicial proceedings in the South district, claim the officials.
It’s notable that election duties, among other responsibilities, have contributed to the accumulation of pending cases, particularly those related to Mundkar and Tenancy disputes in Goa. Recent reports published by the district administration have highlighted these factors as significant contributors to the backlog in the legal system.
Srinet Kothwale, Additional Collector-I, has disclosed that recent delays in holding hearings were attributed to the engagement of Mamlatdars in election duties. Currently, training sessions for the counting of votes
are underway, prompting a temporary halt to Saturday courts.
“The functioning of Saturday courts will resume once the vote counting process concludes. The District Administration is diligently monitoring the situation, with daily reports being compiled regarding the progress of Mundkar and tenancy case hearings,” said the Additional Collector. He added that his office has set an ambitious target to clear all pending cases within the next four months.
