NARESH KRISHNA GAUNEKAR Vs. STATE OF GOA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule in Writ Petition Nos. 538 of 2007 and 554 of 2007. By consent, rule made returnable forthwith. Learned Counsel waive notice on behalf of the respondents. By consent, both these petitions along with Writ Petition no. 426 of 2006 with Misc. Civil Application No. 858 of 2007 therein are taken up for final hearing forthwith and heard finally.

(2.) All the three writ petitions and Misc. Civil Application 858 of 2007 in writ Petition No. 426 of 2006 raise common questions and hence they are being disposed of by common judgment.

(3.) The petitioners in Writ Petition No. 538 of 2007 have filed this petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India praying for a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ or direction to the respondents to reserve seats for the Other Back Ward Communities (for short, "obcs") in all the Municipal Councils in the State of Goa including the municipalities of Ponda and Sanquelim before conducting municipal elections for them. The petitioners claim that they belong to Nabhik and Bhandari Naik communities which are included by the State of Goa in its list of OBCs.