Team Herald
SANGUEM: With increasing number of legal tangles pertaining to veracity of Public Wills and with sole intention to streamline the process of recording the Wills and avoid any litigations, the State Registrar in a recent notification to the Sub-Registrars across State of Goa has directed them to follow certain requisites before the parties come for execution of Public Wills.
Under the new rules put in place, it is now made mandatory for the Sub-Registrars to seek photo identity cards of the Testator and Testatrix, i.e of the persons making the Will besides seeking affidavits sworn by all the witnesses to the Public Will, who are now required to briefly state the contents of the Will in the affidavits.
In addition, the person in whose favour the Will is recorded is also required to give an affidavit stating therein the facts of the matter. These new rules made totally to safeguard the third-party alienation of the properties, will now put a brake to the increasing number of Public Wills executed these days.
Ironically, with the new rules in place, it will be pretty difficult to get witnesses for the Public Wills as no person would be interested in swearing an affidavit to act as witness. Some parties, who were due to record their Wills earlier this week, have already felt the brunt as witnesses after being told of the requirement to depose on oath refuse to come to the Sub Registrar to act as witnesses.
However, in the long run, the change is widely welcomed by the citizens who now feel the execution of Public Wills will be limited to great extend.
