Team Herald
vasco: A Mangor Hill-Vasco based lawyer and green activist, Savio Correia has moved the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) against the Joint Civil Registrar cum Sub Registrar of Tiswadi Panjim for not allowing him to stand as a witness to the will of his friend because he resides in Mangor Hill, one of the initial COVID hotspots in Goa.
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Correia took this step to stand against ´ stigmatisation and discrimination of the people from Vasco’, an issue, which has been highlighted by Herald.
A copy of Herald’s report on June 22, titled ‘The Social Stigma virus is affecting Vasco more than Coronavirus’, has been submitted as an exhibit in the complaint.
The complaint centers around the violation of his human rights by Joint Civil Registrar-cum-Sub Registrar of Tiswadi by refusing to permit him to act as a witness in the execution of a public will, in her office on the ground that he was a resident of Mangor Hill, Vasco.
The complaint said, “It is also filed in public interest on behalf of residents of Mangor Hill locality in Vasco town and to seek this Commission’s intervention in view of widespread reports of stigmatisation, discrimination and ostracisation perpetrated against Vasco residents, under the guise of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
He added “I was approached by a close friend residing at Caranzalem, Panjim, to be a witness at the execution of his and his spouses’ public wills, to which I readily agreed. Accordingly, as informed to me, the draft of the wills of my said friend and his spouse was submitted by their advocate to the Joint Civil Registrar-cum-Sub Registrar of Tiswadi. The drafts mentioned my name as the first witness, along with my address i.e. Mangor Hill, Vasco da Gama. On June 25, the advocate of my friend was telephonically informed by the Jt Civil Registrar that she would not register the will unless the witness i.e. me was changed. On being asked the reason, the Jt Civil Registrar informed that the witness was residing at Mangor Hill, and that she did not want persons residing at Mangor Hill to enter her office in view of the allegedly large number of COVID-19 cases found in that locality.”
Correia further informed that the said advocate sought the reason for the change of witness in writing.
Correia also presented a letter issued by the Jt Civil Registrar, in which Correia’s advocate friend has been informed that as per the draft of will produced by the advocate of his friend, he has been requested to change the witnesses as he is from “Mangor Hill, Vasco Da Gama , “as a precautionary measure”.
GHRC has called for a report on this complaint from the Joint Civil Registrar cum Sub Registrar, Tiswadi and Goa Chief Secretary. The report has to be sent to the commission on or before September 2. GHRC has brought it to the notice of both the respondents that in default, the commission may proceed to take such action as it deems proper”.
Correia received a reply notice from GHRC on August 14, which was initially issued on August 3.
The complainant termed the act of the Jt Civil Registrar as “a blatant human rights violation in the country, which is known as the biggest surviving democracy worldwide.”
Speaking to Herald, Correia said, “I have urged the commission to ensure that inhabitants of Mangor Hill, Vasco or any other locations are not discriminated against or stigmatized by or at any public or semi-public authority”
He also asked for disciplinary proceedings against the Jt Civil Registrar for failure to maintain devotion to duty and for an act, whichwas unbecoming of a govt servant.
Meanwhile, repeated efforts were made in vain to contact the Goa State Registrar and Head of Notary Services regarding this matter.
