Centre rules out ST reservation in 2027 Assembly elections

PANJIM: The demand for reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections received a setback after the Centre ruled out delimitation of constituencies before the polls. 

Replying to a query raised by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, the Union Ministry of State for Law and Justice has stated, “The next delimitation exercise and the readjustment of seats, including the number of seats to be reserved for the SCs and STs would only take place by a Delimitation Commission to be constituted for the purpose after the relevant figures of the census taken after the year 2026 is published.” 

The reply further states, “Until the relevant figures for the first census taken after the year 2026 have been published, it shall not be necessary to readjust the seats in the Legislative Assembly of each State.”

Meanwhile, the Mission Political Reservation for ST of Goa said that it is pained with the reply given by the Legislative Department of Law and Justice, New Delhi to the proposal sent by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, Government of Goa regarding reservation of seats in Assembly for ST communities of Goa. 

General Secretary of the Mission Rupesh Velip said, “We fail to understand why they are talking about readjustment of seats. Further it may be recalled that Ministry of Law and Justice vide notification dated 06-03-2020 constituted the Delimitation Commission for the purpose of delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the State of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland. However the Goa was not considered in said notification. Why only injustice for ST of Goa? We are not asking for readjustment of seats as per Article 82 but reservation of seats in existing seats. We will have no option rather than boycotting forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.”

Velip said that they will start holding meetings in every village panchayat and are firm on its stand that if reservation is not given by 2024 then they will have no option rather than boycotting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.