PANAJI: The Lok Sabha today passed The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2025, paving the way for long-awaited political reservation for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Goa Legislative Assembly. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Bill for consideration and passage, and it was adopted by a voice vote despite Opposition protests over electoral roll issues in Bihar.
The legislation aims to correct a long-standing anomaly, while Goa’s ST population stood at 1.49 lakh in the 2011 Census, significantly higher than the SC population of 25,000, no Assembly seat had been reserved for STs. In contrast, one seat is currently reserved for SCs in the 40-member House.
Once enacted, the Bill will empower the Election Commission to amend the 2008 Delimitation Order to ensure fair representation for tribal communities, particularly the Kunbi, Gawda, and Velip groups, which were added to the ST list in 2003.
The Bill had remained pending for over a year after it was first introduced in August 2024, and had failed to come up in the Lok Sabha on July 23 due to continuous disruptions by Opposition MPs. At the time, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had strongly criticised the Congress, blaming them for delaying a historic opportunity for Goa’s STs. Congress, however, had clarified that it did not oppose the Bill and blamed the government’s timing.
With its passage now, the Bill is expected to ensure ST representation in the 2027 Assembly elections.
