Panaji: The Portuguese civil code has been an integral part of every Goan's life since 1870, but it will be available for closer scrutiny in English, as a city-based lawyer has translated relevant provisions of it currently in force.

Most Goans had not read the code that has harmonized their family life and ensured social order for 150 years. Also referred to as the Goa family law in truncated versions, Código Civil Português of 1867 was enforced in 1870 and saw a few amendments in 1910.

"The civil code has been the foundation of Goa's social orderliness and plays the role which a Constitution plays in the political order," says F E Noronha, who recently released a translation of the code.

While there is hardly any hope of the integrated code being adopted in the rest of India, most Goans are familiar with principles of mutual rights of wives and husbands to their common assets (communion of assets), the duty to register marriage, birth and death and equal rights to all children.

"The essence of the Code is its systematization of the law and that can only be appreciated through a complete reading of its contents," Noronha said. As the code was in Portuguese, a language now very few understand or read, only a few persons had true access to it. Certain truncated translations related to two parts- marriage and divorce, and succession and inventory-were in circulation for some time.

The 734-page volume comprises the translation of the full Civil Code along with parts of the Portuguese Civil Procedure Code, 1939, the Civil Registration Code, 1912 and other laws. A few judgments passed during the last 50 years with brief comments and explanations and a foreword by Justice F M Reis of Bombay high court at Goa have also been incorporated in it.



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