Margao: Resentment is growing in tribal-populated villages over political reservation for Scheduled Tribes (STs). A view is gaining ground within the community that it has been wronged by delays in the reservation process and that facts were withheld from the high court.A meeting of STs is scheduled at Vaddem, Sanguem, on Sunday to decide the community’s future course of action.The discontent follows the Bombay high court at Goa’s interim stay on the implementation of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes Act, 2025. The Act, intended to secure ST representation in the Goa assembly, came into force on Aug 6, 2026. United Tribals Associations Alliance (UTAA) has warned of a “severe backlash” if reservation is not implemented before the 2027 polls.Community members are now focusing on Section 8 of the Act, the “removal of hurdles” clause. It empowers the Centre to issue a gazetted order to remove difficulties in implementation, provided the order is not inconsistent with the Act. The provision can be exercised within two years of the Act coming into force. Tribal activists say state govt has neither sought legal opinion on invoking the clause nor formally approached the Centre.Tribal activist Soiru Velip said the court order must be respected but that legal remedies could still be explored. He said the Act assigns the census commissioner the task of determining the ST population, even as questions have been raised about the estimates used. According to him, the 2001 census figure of 9.9% was carried forward for projections, despite the 2011 census recording 10.23%.He said central and state govts should clarify their stand on Section 8 and announce a time-bound plan.
