Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Priol MLA Govind Gaude has urged the Centre and the Goa government to work together to challenge the High Court’s interim stay on the notification of Scheduled Tribe population figures, a key step towards implementing political reservation for ST communities in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Gaude said the governments must approach the Supreme Court to get the stay vacated and ensure that the process moves forward legally. Referring to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s recent statement, he said efforts had been made to take up the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and pursue the necessary legal action.
Highlighting the sustained movement led by the United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) for over 23 years, Gaude said the demand for political reservation had been pending for a long time and required coordinated action by both governments.
He cautioned against bypassing any legal procedure, saying procedural lapses could provide an opportunity to those opposing ST political reservation. Gaude stressed that while the Goa government also has a responsibility, the Union Government bears the larger share of responsibility in resolving the matter.
He reiterated that all necessary steps must be taken within the legal framework to ensure that the long-standing demand for ST political reservation in Goa is addressed.
