Latest news with #GoaAssemblyConstituenciesBill
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Passage of bill in Rajya Sabha will hasten ST reservation for Goa polls
Panaji: With the Rajya Sabha passing the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Goa Assembly Constituencies Bill, 2025, on Monday, the road is cleared to have ST reservation at the next assembly elections in the state. The Lok Sabha on Aug 5 passed the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Goa Assembly Constituencies Bill, 2025. The passing of the bill in both houses of Parliament is likely to reserve around four seats for the ST community in the 2027 state assembly election. The bill will now be sent to the President of India for assent. Goa's Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade expressed strong and clear support for the bill in Parliament. Calling it a 'historic step towards social justice, equality, and democratic empowerment', he highlighted that Goa's STs have been an integral part of its cultural and social fabric, and have made significant contributions to its history, traditions and development. Tanavade also praised PM Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and minister for social justice and empowerment Virendra Kumar for introducing the bill in Parliament and recognising the aspirations of the state's STs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Back Pain Treatments That Might Surprise You! Back Pain Treatment | Search Ads Undo 'A long-awaited dream of our tribal brothers and sisters has come true. My deepest gratitude to PM Narendra Modi and Union govt for the passage of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Goa Assembly Constituencies Bill, 2025, in the Rajya Sabha,' chief minister Pramod Sawant said. 'A step that strengthens democracy, empowers communities, and reflects the spirit of 'Sabka Saath', 'Sabka Vikas', 'Sabka Vishwas', and 'Sabka Prayas',' Sawant said. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Union cabinet cleared the Scheduled Tribes Reservation Bill. It made the decision a day after leaders of the ST community began a chain hunger strike in Goa. The ST community threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if govt failed to provide them with a quota before the polls. When the delimitation was held in 2002, the ST community in Goa did not get reservation in the assembly as the numbers were not sufficient to warrant a quota. However, with the addition of new tribes — kunbi, gawda, and velip — to the list of scheduled tribes, their numbers increased considerably. The ST community is estimated to be 1.5 lakh. The number of reserved seats in the assembly will be based on the revised population figure. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Goa won't benefit from ST reservation in assembly until 2032, say legal experts
Margao: The passage of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in the Goa Assembly Constituencies Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, has been hailed as historic by BJP govt. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, legal experts are of the view that Goa's tribal community may have to wait until at least 2032—and possibly 2037—before they can contest from reserved seats. 'Definitely not before 2032. Certain in 2037,' says lawyer and political commentator, Prabhakar Timble, pointing to the procedural maze that needs to be manoeuvred before reserved ST constituencies become a reality. While the bill's passage through the Rajya Sabha and presidential assent may be swift, the real challenges lie ahead. Govt is expected to conduct the national census in 2027, which will provide updated population figures essential for constituency delimitation. Four assembly constituencies are likely to be reserved for the ST community based on the data from the population census. 'The delimitation commission will likely be formed in 2027, after the conclusion of the census exercise,' says Timble. By his assessment, delimitation work takes a minimum of four years, which means the reservation benefits will kick in, at the earliest, by 2032. Lawyer and political observer Cleofato Coutinho echoes these concerns. He, however, points to various factors that will prove decisive in altering the fate of Goa's political landscape. 'If you look at the wording of the bill, it is reservation and readjustment of constituencies. We do not know whether under the guise of readjustment they may have a limited delimitation,' he points out. However, govt could theoretically fast-track the process by constituting a Goa-specific delimitation commission or using 2011 census data. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Such moves would be unprecedented, legal experts say. The euphoria over the bill's passage, however, doesn't resonate with all tribal leaders. Namdev Fatarpekar, founder member of the United Tribals Associations Alliance (UTAA), remains sceptical about the legislation's real impact. 'I don't find any reason to be optimistic that the passage of the reservation legislation will bring about fulfilment of the demands or development of the community,' says Fatarpekar, who was among those instrumental in bringing together several tribal organisations under the singular UTAA banner in 2004. 'In the current assembly, we have four MLAs from the ST community. But has their presence translated into meaningful performance? Also, the tribal welfare portfolio was headed by several tribal leaders over the years, what has been the outcome? The functioning of the tribal department leaves much to be desired. ' Fatarpekar's criticism becomes sharper as he questions the 22-year delay since Goa's tribals received ST status in 2003. 'It took 22 years for the bill to be passed in the Lok Sabha. Why this delay? Despite govt's grandstanding over the issue, they have no answers to justify this.' While Timble views the legislation as one that will lead to 'extension and deepening of democracy,' he also warns of potential unintended consequences. 'What can also happen is political parties may not field ST candidates in constituencies other than reserved ones,' he says. 'Political parties may be reluctant to field ST candidates in other constituencies because there are other interests to protect, like, for instance, political aspirations of OBCs, and balancing caste equations. ' Fatarpekar believes that the development of tribals hinges on the notification of scheduled areas—a key demand that remains unfulfilled. The tribal leader fears that reservation might simply perpetuate the existing cycle. 'What will likely happen after this legislation is that the same persons will keep getting re-elected from the reserved constituencies, or some new faces may get elected, but if the will is missing, it is unlikely to make any difference.' Political observers also warn that the creation of reserved constituencies could trigger unintended consequences. 'The concentration of tribal political power in designated seats might lead to the emergence of regional satraps,' a political observer, wishing anonymity, says.
