Owners to be fined for not providing tenant info

Panaji: State govt has drafted the Goa (Verification of Tenants) Rules, 2025, under which it will soon impose fines on owners of premises who fail to provide tenant information to the authorities.It has now invited public objections and suggestions to the rules, following which they will be finalised for implementation.“All objections/suggestions to the draft rules can be sent to the chief secretary or home secretary within 30 days,” home under secretary, Manesh Hari Kedar, said.In case a premises owner or a tenant does not submit the required information, or if a tenant provides false information, a report will be submitted to the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) within seven days for necessary action.

If information pertaining to criminal cases involving a tenant is received from other police stations, or through the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) or Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), it will also be sent to the SDPO within seven days for necessary action as per the law.“The SDPO will forward a report to the sub-divisional magistrate within three days,” Kedar said. “The SDM will then issue a notice to the owner of the premises concerned to appear before him/her along with information of the tenant and, if an offence is committed, a fine will be levied as stated in that particular section.”

“If any question arises as to the interpretation of these rules or any other matter not provided for in these rules, it shall be referred to govt, and the decision of the govt will be final and binding,” the under secretary said.Goa police have intensified tenant verification drives to address safety and security challenges. Goa has always been on high alert considering the high number of domestic and international tourists visiting the state.Govt has notified the Goa (Verification of Tenants) Act, 2024. The act empowers the authorities to collect and verify details of the persons occupying premises across the state, either on rent or for other consideration, from a security point of view.A police officer not below the rank of head constable, or such other officer as may be specified by govt, is entitled to check at any time the records required to be maintained, it states.“Failure on the part of the owner to submit the information in the manner required under the provisions of the act shall constitute an offence punishable with a fine that may extend up to Rs 10,000. An offence may be compounded by the sub-divisional magistrate within whose jurisdiction the premises is situated, on payment of a sum not exceeding Rs 10,000,” the act states.