Goa Govt enacts Rs. 10,000 Fine to Homeowners for allowing 'Unverified Tenants'

Panaji, state government notified Rs. 10,000 penalty has been imposed on landlords who fail to comply with tenant verification regulations from December 1, 2024.

The Home Department has confirmed that the provisions of the Goa (Verification of Tenants) Act, 2024 will come into effect on December 1, 2024. The Goa (Verification of Tenants) Bill, 2024, was approved by the Cabinet in July and then presented during the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly. Residents living without proper documentation were identified by the government's tenant verification drive in October.

Around 2 lakh occupants have been verified by the police in Goa as part of the ongoing verification exercise.

According to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the tenant verification is important in light of recent incidents involving serious crimes by migrants. He exhorted property owners to provide occupant information as soon as possible to ensure compliance and avoid fines, explaining that the move will enhance safety for both residents and visitors.

Following the murder of OCI resident Arnold Soares at his ancestral home in Candolim, this legislative initiative took on greater urgency.

The Bill, which was initially introduced in 2021, was referred to the Select Committee upon the demand of the opposition. The 2021 version of the Bill calls for a minimum six-month sentence and stipulates that "no court other than that of a judicial magistrate of the first class shall take cognizance of, and try, an offense under this Act."