PANAJI
In a major political development, the Centre on Thursday brought into force the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025, paving the way for reservation of four Assembly constituencies for Scheduled Tribes (STs) ahead of the 2027 Goa Legislative Assembly elections.
The Union Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification in the Gazette of India appointing August 6, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the Act come into force. With this, Assembly seats for ST community will be reserved based on 2011 census.
The notification assumes significance as it comes just days before the Scheduled Tribe community's proposed statewide agitation over the delay in implementing political reservation in the Goa Assembly.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue, two days back in Delhi, welcomed the notification, saying it marks a decisive step towards political justice for the State's tribal communities.
"I warmly welcome the coming into force of the ST Assembly Representation Act from today. With the Act now in force, Goa moves decisively towards reserving Assembly seats for our ST communities long-overdue justice for our tribal brothers and sisters," the CM said.
Sawant said that the notification itself means that political reservation for STs is granted. "Seats will be reserved as per 2011 census. There are four steps involved involving census commission, election Commission," he said.
Sawant also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister for enabling the legislation.
With the Act now operational, the Union government is expected to appoint the Census Commissioner under the Census Act, 1948. The Commissioner will ascertain or estimate the Scheduled Tribe population in Goa and submit recommendations for identifying constituencies to be reserved for STs.
Following which, the Election Commission of India will redraw constituency boundaries, wherever required, and reserve four seats for Scheduled Tribes in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly.
Sources indicated that Priol, Sanguem, Quepem and Nuvem are among the constituencies likely to be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, although the final decision will be taken only after the statutory exercise is completed.
The legislation was enacted earlier this year after receiving the President's assent in January. It was specifically designed to avoid waiting for the next nationwide delimitation exercise by empowering authorities to independently determine the ST population for the limited purpose of providing political reservation in Goa.
At present, the Goa Assembly has only one seat reserved for the Scheduled Castes, while the ST community has no political reservation despite longstanding demands.
