NT Reporter
Panaji
In the case related to Zilla Panchayat (ZP) election reservations, Advocate General Devidas Pangam said the state government has fully complied with the Supreme Court-mandated triple test criteria.
Pangam said the government and the State Election Commission (SEC) will file their affidavits before the next hearing on November 25.
Petitioners Manuel Borges, Moreno Rebelo and Gajanan Tilve argued that the state failed to meet the mandatory triple test, which requires quantifiable data of backwardness, proportionate representation and adherence to reservation limits.
The petitions challenged the reservation of the Nuvem, Curtorim and Anjuna constituencies and urged the court to restrain the SEC from announcing election dates until the government files a detailed response.
Pangam said, “The Election Commission and the OBC Commission studied the matter. Population statistics were analysed, calculations were done based on records, the political backwardness of communities was assessed and constituencies were reserved accordingly.”
The revised ZP election date of December 20 provides adequate time for issuing the election notification, he said. Pangam indicated that the High Court’s final order is likely on November 25.
