Folks, Today the Economic Times of India carries a highly relevant update on the question of foreign owned property in Goa. The paper reports that the Goa Government has been denied the power to declare legitimate past purchases illegal and are proposing to take a different route! To my knowledge, the Goa newspapers have not reported this and while I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the report, I assume that it is true.
Headline: Goa seeks special powers to control land sale to foreigners 29 June 2009. Economic Times (India). Excerpts: The Goa government has asked for special powers to regulate land sale to foreigners after it failed to get the President's nod for the Bill which empowered subregistrars to refuse registration of land sold to foreigners. This comes in the wake of a campaign launched by over 200 UK citizens demanding right to buy land in Goa. 335 words. For full text see http://goanvoiceuk.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/goa-seeks-special-powers-to-cont rol-land-sale-to-foreigners-economic-times-29-jun-2009-page-4/ [The petition does not demand the right to buy land in Goa but to remove the threat of confiscation of property bought legally. To view the petition and to sign it, click here. http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/goahomes/] If the links do not work, go to the Goan Voice site For almost two years the Government has not permitted registration by and sale of property where a "foreigner" (i.e. white) is involved. This has been a blanket ban and it is believed that it was going to apply retrospective action on law it was hoping to get approved. Eddie Fernandes
