Panaji, Aug. 6: In a landmark development for Goa’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, the Union Government on Thursday officially brought into force the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025, paving the way for political reservation for STs in the Goa Legislative Assembly ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

The notification, issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice in the Official Gazette, states that August 6, 2026, has been appointed as the date on which the provisions of the Act come into force. The legislation was passed by Parliament last year after years of demands from the Scheduled Tribe community for political representation in the Goa Assembly.

While the notification marks a major milestone, the reservation of Assembly constituencies will not take effect immediately. Several statutory steps, including the appointment of a Delimitation Commissioner and identification of reserved constituencies, remain to be completed before the 2027 Assembly elections.

CM: BJP fulfilled its promise

Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant described the notification as the fulfilment of a long-standing promise made by the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sawant said the Centre’s notification has cleared the way for implementing political reservation for Scheduled Tribes in Goa. He added that the next step would be the appointment of a Delimitation Commissioner, who will identify and notify four Assembly constituencies to be reserved for ST candidates.

The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for supporting Goa’s long-pending demand and said the decision represents another major milestone during his tenure.

Yuri Alemao hails notification

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao welcomed the Gazette notification, describing it as the culmination of years of struggle by the Scheduled Tribe community.

Alemao congratulated members of the ST community and acknowledged the contribution of social organisations, activists and community leaders who consistently fought for political reservation through agitations, protests and sustained public movements. He said the notification represents the fulfilment of a legitimate democratic demand that had remained pending for years.

UTAA welcomes move, to decide on Maha Melava

United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) president Prakash Velip also welcomed the notification, calling it the outcome of decades of struggle by the Scheduled Tribe community and the efforts of several tribal leaders.

Velip said UTAA had conducted more than 400 meetings across Goa while mobilising support for political reservation and preparing for its proposed Maha Melava in Panaji. Following the notification, the organisation’s Executive Committee will meet to decide whether the proposed convention should be held in its original form or modified in view of the Centre’s decision.

MGP welcomes reservation, stakes claim over Priol

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) president Deepak Dhavalikar welcomed the implementation of political reservation for Scheduled Tribes, stating that the decision should have been taken much earlier.

However, Dhavalikar asserted that MGP’s claim over the Priol Assembly constituency remains unchanged. He said if Priol is among the constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes, the MGP expects to contest that seat and will continue to press its claim within the BJP-led alliance.

Major political significance

The implementation of the Act is expected to reshape Goa’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Goa presently has 40 Assembly constituencies, with only one seat reserved for Scheduled Castes and none for Scheduled Tribes. Following the recognition of several tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes and their increased population, Parliament enacted the legislation to provide political representation to the community.

Political parties have already begun positioning themselves for the forthcoming delimitation exercise, while tribal organisations have termed the notification a historic victory after more than two decades of sustained struggle.

The Centre’s notification is therefore seen not as the end of the process but as the formal beginning of implementing ST political reservation in Goa, with the delimitation exercise expected to determine the four Assembly constituencies that will be reserved before the next state elections.