PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday gave a final extension to village panchayats that have not yet filed sworn affidavits on permissions granted to commercial establishments. The new deadline is April 7.
The order came during ongoing hearings in a suo motu public interest litigation following the fatal fire at the “Birch by Romeo Lane” restaurant in Arpora on December 6, 2025, which claimed 25 lives. The court has since widened its inquiry to look into larger lapses in granting licences and construction approvals.
A Division Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar had earlier, on March 23, noted that while some panchayats submitted affidavits on the day of the hearing, many others had failed to do so. The court then described the extension as a final opportunity.
When the matter came up again on Monday, the court observed that some panchayats were still yet to comply and granted one last extension, listing the case for April 8.
The Bench has directed panchayat secretaries to submit affidavits detailing construction permissions, trade licences and occupancy certificates issued to commercial establishments as part of a wider audit.
Earlier, a Bench led by Justice Suman Shyam had called the incident “a clear case of violation of fundamental rights”.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the court that accountability must be fixed and corrective steps taken.
