PANAJI: The Urban Development Minister, Mr Joaquim Alemao on Tuesday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the government had decided to have appropriate reservation in every municipal council for Scheduled Tribes as well as Other Backward Classes communities in the forthcoming municipal elections and that notification to the effect would be issued at an appropriate time.

Responding to the calling attention motion moved by the Congress MLA from Aldona, Mr Dayanand Narvekar, the Urban Development Minister said that there were no authenticated figures as regards to the population of the STs and OBCs in urban areas but in the interest of these communities the government would use the formula adopted for making reservation in recruitment while reserving the seats in municipalities.
He also informed the House that the Bombay High Court had on July 2, 2007, directed the Goa State Commission for Backward Classes to conduct a resurvey of STs and OBCs within six months but the commission had not presented its report till date.
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, who intervened in the matter said that the issue was sensitive and that the government had to follow the constitution and make reservations accordingly.
He also said that 10 per cent reservation might not be practically possible. The Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane said that the government should do something constructive.
The leader of opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar said that government should declare the reservation of seats in advance adding that the post of State Election Commissioner was lying vacant and that it should be filled at the earliest.
His party colleague Mr Vijay Pai Khot wanted to know whether there had to be a certain percentage of voters from the communities in a particular ward for being named as reserved seats.