NT Reporter
Porvorim
Reiterating the state government’s commitment to provide political reservation to the Schedule Tribe (ST) community, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that Quepem, Sanguem, Priol and Nuvem constituencies are likely to be notified as ST-reserved seats in the first or second week of December 2026.
Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya in Porvorim, Sawant said the notification was expected to follow public consultations and due consideration of objections and suggestions received during the process.
He said the State Election Commission submitted a report identifying the four constituencies to the Central Election Commission after the latter sought the relevant details.
The Central Election Commission is expected to direct the State Election Commission to conduct a public hearing after giving one month’s notice.
According to Sawant, the hearing is tentatively expected to be completed by November 30, after which the notification process is likely to move forward. Sawant indicated that the four constituencies could be notified within four to five days after the hearing, subject to completion of the required procedures.
Responding to warnings by ST community leaders that protests could intensify in the coming week, Sawant said the Election Commission was an independent and autonomous body and that the government could not interfere in its functioning. He said that the government was following up on the issue and remained committed to securing political reservation for the community.
Sawant said both, the state government and the central government have passed resolutions in support of ST political reservation. He said that the government was serious about fulfilling its commitment and was pursuing the matter through appropriate channels.
He also referred to the role of the BJP-led governments in measures concerning the ST community, saying that ST status had been granted during the tenure of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He added that funds had been allocated for the community and that the members began receiving benefits under the Forest Rights Act during his tenure as chief minister.
According to Sawant, around 10,000 people applied for benefits under the Forest Rights Act, of which approximately 3,000 to 3,500 claims have been settled.
Reiterating the government’s position, Sawant said political reservation for STs remained a commitment and that efforts were being made to ensure its implementation. He also alleged that some people were making statements over the issue to deny the BJP credit for its efforts.
