On December 19th the foundation stone is being laid at Porvorim for the complex to house the Bombay High Court at Goa. Will it be just another stone?
Amidst much fanfare, the then Bombay High Court Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar, just weeks before his elevation to the Supreme Court, on 2nd November 2009 had laid the foundation stone of the North Goa District and Sessions Court Complex at Merces which was supposed to house all Panaji Courts. We were promised that the premises would be ready within a year. Over four long years after the laying of that foundation stone, not a brick has been laid with that foundation stone itself having long gone missing. The Judiciary should have been truly independent. With the Government holding the financial strings, it is appalling that the Judiciary has to depend on the largesse of politicians for improving its infrastructure. Over the years the well being of Goa’s judiciary has been conveniently neglected. There has been nothing concrete done to improve the infrastructure and performance of the temples of Justice. The subordinate Courts in Panaji are in a very sordid state of affairs. The judges and staff have to work in despicable premises, denied of even proper ventilation and surrounded by dust and cobwebs all over and even worse, neither the litigants not the advocates have any place to park their vehicles as the casino employees are having free parking *as of right*whether in the day or the night. Surely, the Courts are not gambling dens. The Government should not have any role to intermeddle in the affairs of the judiciary. The Government should also have no say whatsoever in the selection, appointment and promotion of judges. Otherwise a free and impartial judiciary – a basic feature of the Constitution, will remain a tall dream which would never see the light of the day. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
