NT NETWORK
Panaji
The state government has rejected allegations of name-change by non-Goans in the absence of a ‘notification’ of the relevant law and rules, describing it as misleading as a notification already exists in this regard.
“The procedure for change of name and surname is already prescribed under Goa Change of Name and Surname Act, 1990,” said the state registrar-cum-head of the notary services Brijesh Manerkar.
As per amendment to the Act, a provision has been made that whoever changes his name or surname or both or publishes any notice/ advertisement for such change without following the procedure as laid down in section 3 or procedure as laid down under any other law, shall be punished with imprisonment which shall not be less than seven days, but not exceed three months, Manerkar said.
The amendment has been published in the Official Gazette on September 23, 2019 and the same has come into effect.
The notification stated that notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974), the offence under this Act shall be cognisable.
Manerkar further said that local newspapers before publishing any notices/ advertisements for change of name and surname should verify the provision of laws and with the authorities under whose direction such notice/ publications are presented to them for publication.