The Supreme Court by a brief order dated 18.8.2025 declined to grant interim relief to the Dempo group against the judgment of the Bombay High Court at Porvorim dated 23.06.2025 (Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta) in the matter of the ODPs of 5 coastal villages.
By its earlier order dated 22.07.2025, the Supreme Court had refused to stay the Bombay High Court judgment during hearings on SLPs filed against the order by the Goa government and the Goa Town and Country Planning Department. The apex court had instead passed a status quo order.
The 18 August order came on an SLP filed by Devashri Nirman LLP, a real estate company of the Dempo family, involved in the construction of 337 flats in 3 projects located in Candolim and Arpora. The 3 projects have come to a standstill due to the Bombay High Court judgment and the status quo order of the apex court.
The SLP contained the following prayers for interim relief:
a) Stay the Judgment and final order dated 23.06.2025 passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay at Goa in PIL Writ Petition Nos. 30/2023, 24/2023 & 828/2023; or
b) In the alternate, pending the hearing and final disposal of this petition direct that there shall be no coercive action or steps implementing the Judgment and order dated 23.06.2025 passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay at Goa in PIL Writ Petition Nos. 30/2023, 24/2023 & 828/2023 in respect of the three projects of the Petitioner.
The apex court refused to amend its status quo order. It instead issued notice and posted all the petitions for further hearing on September 16, 2025.
Details of the 3 projects listed in the SLP are copied below:
1) ‘Florenza’, a project is situated in Arpora village, Bardez, Goa consisting of 195 residential units of 106 and 12 commercial units of which 12 are sold.
2) ‘Vista Bonita’, a project is situated in property bearing Sy. no. 4/1-C, Bamon Vaddo, Candolim, Bardez, Goa, consisting of 54 residential units of 51 are sold.
3) ‘La Stella’, a project situated in the property bearing Sy. no. 2/4-B and 4/1-D, Marquis Vaddo, Candolim, Bardez, Goa, consisting of 88 residential units of which 79 are sold.
Claude Alvares
Director/Goa Foundation