The judgment, delivered on 23 June 2025, was uploaded today. Goa Foundation and Roshan Mathias were petitioners. The matter was argued through by Senior Advocate Norma Alvares, assisted by Adv. Om D’Costa, Adv. Sherwyn Correia and Adv. Malissa Simoes.
The judgment (118 pages) reverts the land use (zoning) of all plots in the 5 villages back to their original land use in RP 2021. The two ODPs notified for the 5 villages stand scrapped. All zoning certificates issued for construction on the basis of the ODPs have been cancelled. This means that all development on these plots must conform to RP 2021. If it does not conform, the development will have to be demolished. This is also confirmed by the interim order of the Supreme Court in the same matter.
The judgment cancels the circular dated 22.12.2022 issued by the Chief Town Planner keeping the ODPs illegally alive, after the 5 villages had been removed as Planning Areas under the Town and Country Planning Act. The High Court had stayed the circular. However, to bypass the High Court’s order, the Goa government brought in an ordinance. This ordinance also lapsed. In order to save the approvals and permissions granted under the ODPs, the Government next went in for an order issued under Article 162 of the Constitution. That executive order has also been quashed and set aside.
Since the Court held with the PIL petitioners on the illegality of the ODPs and their preparation, it did not go into individual zone changes made in these ODPs when they migrated from RP 2021 to ODP status.
State Government has sought stay of the judgment in order to appeal.
Claude Alvares
Director