PANAJI: The state legislative assembly on Friday approved five bills including the Goa Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Bill, 2010, aimed at setting up the commission to safeguard the interests of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the state.
The commission would have powers of a civil court and would be able to inquire suo motu or on a petition presented to it by a victim or by any person on his behalf into complaints of violation of any rights provided in the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989, both central acts.
The commission would also be empowered to inquire in cases of negligence in prevention of such violations, by a public servant, and also have powers to investigate and monitor all matters to the safeguards provided for the SCs/STs under the Constitution of India or under any other law and also to evaluate the working of various safeguards and civil rights accruing to a person as stipulated in the Protection of the Civil Rights Act.
The House also gave its approval to Goa Co-operative Societies (amendment) Bill, 2010. However, one of the proposed amendments in the form of clause 28A (aimed at restricting holding of shares by the members other than government or any other society) was dropped following an amendment proposed by Congress MLA, Mr Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco.
The passed bill would enable any person or persons on whom all or any of the powers of the registrar were conferred under Section 4 of the Act, to exercise the powers of the registrar. The government has also amended Section 52 of the Act so as to provide that a sum not exceeding 20 per cent of the net surplus should be transferred to a deficit fund for meeting unforeseen deficits.
The assembly also passed the Goa Animal Preservation (amendment) Bill. The amended Section 6 of the Act would bestow power on the competent authority to enter, search and seize property without warrant. The bill also would allow the government for manner of disposal of the seized property.
The Section 8 of the Act has been amended to make provision regarding punishment on conviction to a period of three years, while amended Section 9 of the Act provides for making offences under the Act as cognizable and non-bailable.
The House also approved amendment to the Goa Administrative Tribunal (amendment) Bill, 2010, through which a new sub-section (4) in Section 3 of the Goa Administrative Tribunal Act, 1965, has been inserted to fix maximum age up to which the president of the tribunal could hold office.
As per the amendment the president and additional president of the Goa Administrative Tribunal would hold office until they attain the age of 65 years.
The assembly also passed the Goa Municipalities (amendment) Bill, 2010, through which a new section (13A) has been inserted in the original Act to make provision for the use of electronic voting machines in lieu of ballot paper at an election
to a council.
