The Goa Forward Party has urged Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju to withhold assent to two Bills passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly on September 2, 2026, raising concerns over land acquisition safeguards, conversion of industrial leasehold properties into freehold assets and alleged drafting lapses.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the party sought reconsideration of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Goa Amendment) Bill, 2026 (Bill No. 56 of 2026) and the Goa Ease of Doing Business (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2026 (Bill No. 58 of 2026).

The party questioned the manner in which eight Bills were tabled and passed by the Assembly on a single day, arguing that such compressed legislative consideration left inadequate scope for detailed scrutiny by legislators, stakeholders and the public.

The Goa Forward Party has particularly objected to provisions in the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill that empower the government to exempt specified projects from certain safeguards under Chapters II and III of the central RFCTLARR Act. These include provisions relating to Social Impact Assessment and protections for irrigated multi-cropped land.

The party has also raised concerns over extending such exemptions to Public Private Partnership projects and provisions covering industrial corridors extending up to one kilometre on either side of designated roads or railway lines.

On the Ease of Doing Business Bill, the party has focused on the proposed insertion of Section 28A into the Goa Industrial Development Act. The provision would allow the Goa Industrial Development Corporation to grant freehold rights over industrial-estate plots and premises upon payment of a premium.

According to the party, converting industrial leasehold properties into freehold assets would fundamentally alter the nature and value of land originally made available for industrial development and employment generation.

The party has called for a transparent statutory mechanism to determine the valuation and premium for such conversions. It said factors including current market value, original acquisition cost, public expenditure on infrastructure, appreciation in land value, the original purpose of allotment and employment commitments should be considered.

It has also demanded that freehold conversion remain linked to continued industrial use and should not become a means for speculative real-estate gains.

Citing the example of Sancoale Communidade land leased to Zuari Industries, the Goa Forward Party questioned whether land made available through public intervention for industrial and employment purposes should ultimately generate private real-estate gains without adequate safeguards for the public interest, original landowners or community institutions.

The party has further raised objections to Sections 37A and 37B, which it said could facilitate land acquisition for industrial estates. It questioned the use of the term “insufficient” in provisions dealing with objections to notifications for new industrial estates, arguing that the wording lacks clarity and could lead to arbitrary interpretation.

Another issue flagged by the party concerns a proposed provision placing Pollution Control Board and Fire Officers dealing with preventive measures for industrial estates under the supervision and direction of the Managing Director of the estate.

The party argued that such an arrangement could create a conflict between the commercial interests of industrial estates and independent health, safety and environmental oversight.

The memorandum also highlights what the party described as drafting inconsistencies in the Ease of Doing Business Bill, including discrepancies in references to clauses and provisions of the Goa Industrial Development Act.

It has also alleged drafting errors in proposed amendments to the Shops and Establishments legislation, including inconsistent use of the terms “worker” and “employee” and grammatical deficiencies in some provisions.

The Goa Forward Party said such errors should have been detected during the legislative and Law Department vetting process. It added that attempts by the Opposition to address some of the concerns during the legislative process were unsuccessful.

The party clarified that it is not opposed to investment, industry or infrastructure development, but maintained that development policies must protect Goa’s communities and limited land resources.

“Ease of doing business” should not become “ease of acquiring and monetizing land for real estate business,” the party said in its memorandum.

The party has therefore urged Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju to withhold assent to both Bills and seek their reconsideration after adequate legislative and public scrutiny.

It has called for stronger statutory safeguards governing freehold conversion, land valuation and continued industrial use, along with measures to prevent speculative diversion of industrial land.

On land acquisition, the party has sought retention of meaningful Social Impact Assessment, public participation and independent scrutiny.