Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, May 31: The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to July the hearing of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Goa government against the High Court’s verdict reading down Section 17(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974.

The matter came up before Court No. 3, where the government sought more time. The Bench subsequently listed the case before a regular bench for hearing on July 21.

The state has filed two separate appeals challenging the High Court’s March 13 judgment in three PILs – Writ Petition No. 16 of 2023, Writ Petition No. 17 of 2023, and Writ Petition (F) No. 2317 of 2023 – which curtailed powers under Section 17(2) of the Act.

Though the matter was initially moved before a vacation bench for urgent hearing — following a request via a May 28 letter from senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi’s office — the government on Friday sought an adjournment.

In its petition, the state stressed that the High Court had stayed the operation of its own verdict for six weeks to allow time for the state to approach the apex court. The petition argued that without a stay, the government could suffer “irreparable harm” as the ruling affects statutory powers and ongoing planning processes.

The petition also noted that several pending cases in the High Court are connected to Section 17(2), and the impugned judgment could influence their outcomes.

The Goa Foundation, which had filed a caveat earlier, expressed disappointment over the government’s delay in pursuing the matter. It also flagged the state’s move to file two separate SLPs — one under the name of the Chief Secretary and the other through the TCP Department — allegedly to enable dual representation by senior counsels and thereby raise the stakes in the appeals.

The matter is expected to draw wider attention as it impacts town planning procedures and governance in Goa.