Team Herald
PANJIM: Gomantak Bhandari Samaj has called for a thorough investigation into instances of migrants changing their names and surnames by adopting Goan names.
According to the Samaj, under the Goa Name and Surname Change Act, 1990, names and surnames can be changed in Goa only if the applicants are born in the State of Goa. As per authorities, a person born outside Goa cannot change name and surname in Goa and if done, so it is considered illegal.
Despite the prevailing law, Samaj claims, a large number of migrants although not born in Goa apply for name and surname change in Goa. As per press reports many of these migrants try to adopt the surname ‘Naik’ which is the common surname of persons belonging to Bhandari Samaj, which it said, the Samaj strongly deplores as “this illegal act is detrimental to the Samaj.”
Most of the irregularities, change in name and surname is noted in Bardez taluka, Mormugao taluka and Salcete taluka. Therefore, the Samaj Goa has requested Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, the law minister, Chief Registrar of Goa and authorities concerned to thoroughly investigate the matter and put a stop to this illegal change of name and surname in the interest of Goan society at large.
