MARGAO
In a significant development, the Scrutiny Committee for the verification of caste certificates has set aside the Other Backward Community (OBC) Caste certificate issued to Goa Forward party-backed Margao Municipal councillor Pooja Naik, holding her OBC caste certificate as invalid.
Based on the Scrutiny Committee’s decision, the Director of Municipal Administration, Brijesh Manerkar has written a letter to councillor Pooja Naik, saying that she ceases to be the Councillor of Ward No 4 of the Margao Municipal Council.
Pooja Naik, however, informed that the decision to disqualify her from the membership of the Margao Municipal Council has been challenged in the court of law.
The DMA’s decision has given an armament to the Fatorda BJP Mandal and party leaders to make capital out of the emerging situation and fire some shots at the rival Goa Forward Party.
Party leaders led by mandal President Shweta Lotlikar, general secretary Dilip Naik, and BJP-backed councillors, Sadanand Naik, Milagrina Gomes, Camilo Barretto and others said the Goa Forward Party-backed councillor had done injustice to the OBCs by falsely claiming that she belonged to the OBC Bhandari caste.
While condemning the Goa Forward-backed councillor for contesting the election with a OBC certificate, the BJP leaders said they will take the issue not only across Fatorda, but across the State to expose how injustice was done to the OBC community. “Reservation for the OBCs, STs and SCs have been provided by the Constitution by the Father of Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. By producing a bogus caste certificate, they have insulted Dr Ambedkar and the OBC communities,” asserted Dilip Naik.
To a question, Dilip said the question whether they would demand withdrawal and return of the privileges enjoyed by councillor Pooja Naik would be taken in due course of time.
In his letter, DMA Brijesh Manerkar informed Pooja Naik that the Scrutiny Committee of verification of caste certificate, Goa has passed Judgement and Order dated February 17, 2026, wherein, the caste certificate bearing No. SG/SDOSAL/2021/CAS/47/143 dated January 28, 2021 issued in favour of her is held to be invalid. The caste certificate of Other Backward Classes (belonging to the Bhandari Naik community) is set aside and cancelled.
He further stated that the Margao Municipal Council vide letter dated February 27, 2026 has informed that she was elected from Ward No. 4 of Margao Municipal Council in reserved ward for OBC Women.
DMA in a letter to Councillor Pooja Naik
“It is informed that the cancellation of OBC certificate by the Scrutiny Committee debars you from holding of elective office. In view of Section 12 of the Goa Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of Caste Certificate) Act of 2023, a person shall be disqualified for being a member of local authority, if he has contested the election of such local authority on the seat reserved for any of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes category upon such caste certificate being cancelled by the Scrutiny Committee. Hence, you cease to be the councillor of Ward No. 4 of Margao Municipal Council,”
