12 WP 368 2025 Meena IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA WRIT PETITION NO.368 OF 2025 SANKALP SHRIKRISHNA KARPE ... PETITIONER Versus THE VILLAGE PANCHAYAT OF CAMURLIM THR ITS SECRETARY AND 5 ORS ... RESPONDENTS Mr. Ajay Menon, Advocate for the Petitioner. Mr. Sarvesh Kalangutkar, Advocate for Respondent No.1. Mr. Suhas Parab, Additional Government Advocate for Respondent Nos. 2 to 5. CORAM:- VALMIKI MENEZES & AMIT S. JAMSANDEKAR, JJ. DATED :- 18th August, 2026 P.C.: 1. The order dated 04.11.2025 passed by this Court has now been fully complied with, and the offending structure has been removed from the site. We had directed the Directorate of Panchayats to initiate action against the Secretary for not completing the work of demolition in pursuance of the directions of this Court. Warning memo dated 02.07.2026 is placed before us in which the Directorate of Panchayats has taken a note of the conduct of Mr Rajesh Asolkar, Secretary of Village Panchayat Camurlim and, after considering his reply, has chosen to take a lenient view of the matter and imposed a warning. Page 1 of 3 18th August, 2026 12 WP 368 2025 2. The petitioner, however, presses for costs on the Panchayat and claims that the costs shall be paid by the Secretary of Village Panchayat for the delay in carrying out and completion of demolition of the structure. 3. We have examined the record and noted that despite orders of this Court, the Secretary chose to file two affidavits, the first dated 15.01.2026 and the second dated 20.02.2026, in which he has taken a stand that after inspection of the site, there was no plinth structure seen below the debris at the site and the demolition was complete in all respects. Obviously, the Secretary was covering up his action to ascertain this position; this Court in Writ Petition No.417 of 2025 was forced to appoint a Court Commissioner, an Advocate of this Court, Ms Maria Correia, to inspect the site and present a report. The report disclosed that an entire plinth was seen below the debris, which forms part of the original offending structure, and has not been removed. 4. In fact, during the pendency of this petition, for almost one year, this Court was forced to take action for recovery of costs of the demolition in an order dated 04.11.2025, passed in Writ Petition No.417 of 2025. The Revenue proceedings for recovery of the costs for demolition are still pending before the Mamlatdar of Bardez in case No. MAM/BAR/PWD/ REC/01/2026, which has 18th August, 2026 12 WP 368 2025 added to the unnecessary litigation due to the inaction of the Secretary. 5. As a result, this petition has remained pending from 25.09.2025, from when the first order was passed, till today when the action taken by the Directorate of Panchayats has been placed before us. Considering that the delay in disposing this petition by the Court is entirely due to the recalcitrant attitude of Mr. Rajesh Asolkar, Secretary of Village Panchayat of Camurlim, we deem it appropriate to impose costs on him in the amount of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees Five Thousand only) which shall be paid by him to the Petitioner by way of depositing in the Registry of this Court within a week from today. 6. Copy of this order shall be forwarded to the Director, Directorate of Panchayats, who shall endorse the warning memo dated 02.07.2026 with the fact that the costs imposed by this Court personally on Mr. Rajesh Asolkar, Secretary of Village Panchayat of Camurlim, in his service records, which shall be taken note of. 7. Since nothing further survives in this petition, the same stands disposed of. AMIT S. JAMSANDEKAR, J. VALMIKI MENEZES, J. 18th August, 2026 Signed by: MEENA VISHAL BHOIR Designation: Private Secretary Date: 19/08/2026 12:05:40