PANJIM: Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho on Tuesday said that the number of wards for Scheduled Castes (SC) would be increased from 9 to 15 seats. The government has also written to the State Election Commission (SEC) to increase the quota.
However, Department of Panchayats confirmed that it has already notified the delimitation of wards in which 39 new wards have been carved out, including seven wards of new Quelossim Panchayat.
Speaking to Herald, Godinho said, “It’s not the question of requesting them, the government decides on how many seats shall be reserved. First we had done it based on 4 percent of the population but then the government felt that it should be increased to 4.5 percent which makes it 15 seats. The notification shall be out by tomorrow.”
He added, “The total population of SCs in 186 panchayats is 16,132 which come to 1.56 percent. Government has given cut off percentage to 4.5 percent of total population of SCs in 186 village panchayats. So reservations will be in 15 wards in 186 panchayats.”
Panchayats Director Sandhya Kamat said, “The department has already notified the delimitation of panchayat wards and it should come out in the official gazette by tomorrow, 39 new wards have been carved out,” Kamat said.
