JUDGMENT :

M.S. SONAK, J.

1. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties.

2. The learned Counsel for the parties agree that these Petitions can be disposed of by a common Judgment and Order, since, they relate to the challenges to the Government Notification dated 20th February 2020, reserving certain constituencies for the candidates from scheduled tribes/other backward/woman, etc. at the Zilla Panchayat elections, earlier scheduled for 22nd February 2020 and now rescheduled for 12th December 2020. In some of the Petitions, there is a challenge to the constitutional validity of some of the provisions of the GOA PANCHAYAT RAJ ACT , 1994 (said Act) to the extent they relate to the powers of the Government to make such reservations.

3. The Petitioners in Writ Petitions No.179/2020 and 191/2020 challenge the Notification dated 20th February 2020 to the extent it relates to the Usgao-Ganje constituency for scheduled tribe candidates. In these Petitions, there is a challenge to the constitutional validity of the provisions in Sections 7(4), 118 and 119 of the said Act to the extent these