Goa lawyers to protest shifting of lower courts outside Panaji

Panaji, Jan 14: Lawyers in Goa will sport black or white bands on their arms on Thursday to protest the shifting of lower courts from a Portuguese-era building in Panaji to a place on the city outskirts.

"The bar strongly denounces and condemns the shabby and step-motherly treatment meted to the advocates by the Government of Goa, the District Court and the Bombay High Court administration and judiciary in the entire process of shifting of the Tiswadi (Panaji) lower courts," North Goa District Advocates Association (NGDAA) resolved during its extra-ordinary general body meeting held on Wednesday.

The general body of NGDAA appealed to lawyers to sport black or white bands on their arms over the coat while appearing in courts, which were shifted to the new premises last month.

The NGDAA resolved that the executive committees of the taluka advocates association be requested to call upon their members to also wear such bands while appearing in courts at all talukas in the North Goa district.

The association has also appealed to the executive committees of South Goa district advocates association and the High Court Bar Association to join the protest. The lawyers also plan to stage a protest outside the High Court complex in Panaji, but have not announced any date for it.

NGDAA is demanding that the state government should expedite the work for construction of the new premises at Merces village near here rather than shifting the courts to a building taken on rent.

PTI