Panaji (Goa): The BJP-led coalition government is all set to promulgate an ordinance withdrawing the third amendment to the Goa Agriculture Tenancy Act, facilitating transfer of cases back to office of Mamletdar from civil Courts.

The controversial amendment that witnessed hue and cry amongst tenants and farmers was introduced by Manohar Parrikar himself during his earlier tenure as Chief Minister in August 2014.

The State Revenue Department has moved a file to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar seeking approval for withdrawal of third amendment to the Tenancy Act, introduced in 2014.

“The file seeking withdrawal of the third amendment to the Act has been forwarded to CM Parrikar. It proposes handling over tenancy dispute cases back to Mamlatdars, from courts,” sources said adding ‘we have also proposed to promulgate an ordinance in that regard’.

The Revenue department is now awaiting approval form Chief Minister and State cabinet.

Sources said that government is contemplating setting time limit within which the mamletdar office need to clear the tenancy cases, failing which the matter would be transferred back to civil Courts.

Following the amendment in 2014, as many as 5000 cases were referred to civil Court by the government.

In her first address to State Assembly post new government took over in March, the Governor Mridula Sinha had announced to withdraw the amendment citing that tenants are facing difficulties due to the move. She however, assured to legally protect the tenancy rights.

Team TNV