Panaji, Jun 1 (PTI) The ruling BJP on Monday fast-tracked its demand for reservation of assembly seats for Scheduled Tribes for next year's Goa polls with top leaders, including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, raising the issue in Delhi and a delegation meeting the Chief Electoral Officer here.
BJP Goa core committee member Govind Parvatkar, who led the delegation to Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Goel here, told reporters that senior leaders, including CM Sawant, party's Goa unit president Damodar Naik and MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, are in New Delhi with the demand.
"They will be meeting party leaders in Delhi to ensure the Election Commission of India starts the process to reserve the seats for STs before the upcoming election," Parvatkar said. Goa assembly polls are likely to be held in March next year.
The delegation led by Parvatkar submitted a memorandum to Goel pressing for the demand for reservation of assembly seats in the coastal state for STs.
"Goa is the only state which has no reservation for the ST community in the assembly. In the meeting with the CEO, the delegation informed him all the formalities required for ST reservation have been completed by the BJP-led government. The Goa assembly has also adopted a resolution on this," he said.
Talking to reporters, CEO Goel said Parliament has passed The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill 2024 and the process will now have to be completed by ECI along with Registrar General of India and Union Law Ministry.
The data on ST population is available with the CEO, based on which the constituencies would be identified, Goel added. PTI
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