The Lok Sabha today passed the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024. The bill aims at enabling reservation of seats for effective democratic participation of members of Scheduled Tribes and to provide for the readjustment of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa.

Replying to the discussion, Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the bill has been brought with the intention of granting reservation to Scheduled Tribes to ensure their representation in the Goa legislative Assembly. He said, the population of STs have significantly increased from 566 in 2001 to around over one lakh 49 thousand now in the State.

Mr Meghwal said, earlier there was a provision of reservation for only scheduled Caste but as population of the Scheduled Tribes community has increased, it is necessary to grant reservation to ST in the state assembly.