New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) Parliament on Monday approved a bill to provide reservation to Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Goa Assembly.
The Rajya Sabha gave its nod to 'The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2025' with voice vote without discussion.
The Lok Sabha had passed the legislation on August 5.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the bill seeks to provide representation to the ST community in the state Assembly.
"A special situation arose in Goa. There are 40 seats in the Goa Legislative Assembly. One seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes. Their number is 25,494. But not a single seat is reserved for STs because according to the 2001 census, their population was recorded as 566," he said.
Meghwal said the bill was brought so that the Scheduled Tribe community is not deprived of representation in the 40-member Goa Assembly.
He said the basic mantra of Narendra Modi's government is "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas and Sabka Vishwas".
Speaking in support of the bill, BJP's Rajya Sabha member from Goa Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade said the proposed legislation is an extremely important step.
"The Scheduled Tribes are an integral part of the social and cultural fabric of our state. They have made significant contributions to the history, traditions and development of Goa. By readjusting the representation of Scheduled Tribes in the legislative Assembly constituencies of Goa, we are taking an important step towards removing historical inequalities," he said.
Tanavade said this move will give Scheduled Tribes the platform they need to voice their concerns, shape policies and influence Goa's future.
"Representation is not just a matter of numbers. It is an assurance that issues concerning marginalised communities find their due place in legislative discussions," he added.
Tanavade said this is a historic step towards ensuring equality and justice for the Scheduled Tribes of Goa.
He asked all the members to pass this bill unanimously "and give the message that our democracy stands firmly on the pillars of inclusiveness and justice".
Participating in the discussion, Subhas Chandra Bose Pilli (YSRCP) said the bill is a landmark piece of legislation aimed at addressing the long-standing non-representation of STs in Goa's political framework.
"The major achievement of this bill is that it represents the transformative approach to political representation in Goa," Pilli said.
This bill brings fundamental charges by creating reserve seats in the legislative Assembly ensuring that the voices, consent and aspirations of these communities are not just heard but are central to the governance process, he said.
Pilli said despite safe safeguards, incidents of atrocities against SC and ST continues to be a common occurrence.
This bill also highlights the critical need for a nationwide census to address the issue of accurately determining the composition of India's population, he said.
"The last census was conducted in 2011 and its data is now over a decade old. I urge the government to urgently complete the delayed census. It is not (only) a statistical exercise," Pilli said.
In conclusion, he said this bill was a significant setup towards political inclusion for STs in Goa.
"However, its success depends on overcoming certain fundamental issues that require our immediate attention to ensure effective representation for all marginalised communities," Pilli said in support of the bill.
Niranjan Bishi (BJD MP from Odisha) said of the 40 Assembly constituencies, the STs of Goa will get four seats according to Article 332 of Constitution of India.
"After passing of this bill, out of 40 MLA seats, four seats will be reserved for Schedule Tribes of Goa. The ST communities will get an opportunity of democratic participation in the Goa Assembly," he said.
Bishi tried to raise the issue of crime against ST women in Odisha but stopped by the Chair as his allocated time was over.
The BJD member also sought to raise the issue of rising heinous crimes against ST women students of school, colleges and universities in Odisha, but could not complete.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)