Bombay High Court Chief Justice Mohit Shah has today been urged not to attend the dinner being hosted for him by the Goa Government on August 20th. Chief Justice Mohit Shah who is retiring on September 9th is scheduled to visit Goa on 20th and 21st of August.
In a letter faxed to Chief Justice Mohit Shah today, it has been stated that with an immense sense of deep anguish and in public interest, he is requested not to attend the dinner that is being hosted by the Goa Government. Chief Justice Mohit Shah’s attention has been drawn that the cash strapped Goa Government which has been unable to even pay the monthly pension payments for the last two months to the old age pensioners under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme has decided to host for him a lavish dinner at the five star Marriot hotel in Panaji on August 20th. The holding of the dinner would also be contrary to the Goa Government circular dated 31st December 2014 calling for a total restraint on wasteful expenditure as a step towards economy measures and rationalization of expenditure. By attending a dinner hosted by the Government, Chief Justice Mohit Shah would be sending a wrong message. There is already a public perception that the Independence of the judiciary in Goa has been compromised in the manner in which the Goa CBI Court has been wound up and the selective targeting of Judges with the Judges today having developed cold feet to take on the Government for its illegalities. It being talked that the State is proposing to appoint Chief Justice Mohit Shah as the new Lok Ayukta of Goa, this would be even more reason for him to refuse allowing the dinner to be hosted and not to participate in the same. The move to host the dinner by the State Government is inappropriate and it would also be highly unethical for a sitting Judge to accept a dinner hosted by a State Government. Never before has that State Government hosted any dinner for a sitting Judge of the High Court, nor has any sitting Judge stooped to such a low level, to accept any such invite. Holding the dinner would prove the nexus between the State and the High Court, which will confirm the whispered rumors in the corridors of the Courts and outside, of the manipulations tomtomed by the State Government. It is pertinent to note that a part of the Marriot Hotel premises where the Government has planned the 20th August dinner is under a demolition order of the Bombay High Court at Goa passed on 29th June this year in Writ Petition 333/1993 ordering demolition within six months for being in violation of the CRZ rules. An extraordinary General body meeting of the Goa High Court Bar Association held yesterday has resolved not to host a farewell dinner for Chief Justice Mohit Shah. Now let us hope that Chief Justice Mohit Shah would act appropriately and not attend the Government dinner. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires