Govt expands OBC list for ZP elections | Goa News

Margao: State govt has issued a notification expanding the list of communities eligible for other backward classes (OBC) reservation in the upcoming zilla panchayat elections. This expansion adds 19 communities to provide broader representation in the district-level panchayat bodies.The notification, issued by the directorate of panchayats, includes traditional occupational communities such as Kumbhar, Teli, Shimpi, Dhobi, and Koli, along with their Christian counterparts. The expanded list includes groups like Christian Mahar, Christian Barber, Christian Render, Kalaikar (blacksmith/tinsmith), Bhandari Naik, Dhangar, and Thakar, among others.The inclusion follows recommendations from the Goa state commission for backward classes and will remain in effect for the entire term of the 2025 zilla panchayat general elections. Officials said the move aims to ensure broader and more inclusive representation of socially and economically backward groups—particularly among Goa’s minority and traditional occupational communities—in the district-level panchayat bodies.The notification comes after the state election commission announced constituency reservations for the upcoming ZP polls, with 36% of seats reserved for women. The commission earlier announced that 17 seats would be reserved for SC, ST, OBC, and women candidates in South Goa, while 15 constituencies were reserved in North Goa. The new OBC categories are expected to significantly impact seat allocation in both districts.