Election Data Tracker · Updated Nov 8, 2026

Goa Social Coalitions 2027: Hindus, Catholics, Konkani and the ST Quota

📅 Last verified Nov 8, 2026👥 Census 2011 community shares📌 Goa Election 2027

Written & reviewed by Nazish Fatima · Updated November 8, 2026

In short

Goa's communities and the 2027 vote: Census 2011 religion and language shares, the 10% ST population, the new ST reservation Act and what the data cannot

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Goa’s politics is shaped by a Hindu majority, a large Christian minority, a Muslim presence, a Konkani-speaking majority with a Marathi-speaking minority, and a Scheduled Tribe population of about one in ten that has been waiting for Assembly reservation for more than twenty years. The Census records religion, language, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe shares but not caste, so we offer no caste estimates. Figures are from 2011 and the Census does not record how people vote.

🧠 AI Overview Summary

Census 2011 recorded 14,58,545 people in Goa. Hindus were 66.08%, Christians 25.10% and Muslims 8.33%; 62.17% lived in urban areas. Konkani was the first language of 66.11%, Marathi of 10.89%. Scheduled Tribes were 10.23% and Scheduled Castes 1.74%. The ST reservation Act came into force on 6 August 2026, with four seats expected to be reserved, but no seat list has been notified.

⚡ Goa’s Communities at a Glance

Population (2011)14,58,545

Hindu / Christian / Muslim66.08% / 25.10% / 8.33%

Konkani / Marathi (first language)66.11% / 10.89%

ST / SC share10.23% / 1.74%

Reserved Assembly seats today1 SC (Pernem)

📚 Key Takeaways

What the Numbers Allow Us to Say

Religion: Hindus 66.08%, Christians 25.10%, Muslims 8.33% in 2011, with Sikhs 0.10%.
Language: Konkani 66.11%, Marathi 10.89%, Hindi 8.64%, Kannada 4.65%, Urdu 2.82%.
ST quota: an Act in force since 6 August 2026 expects four ST seats; the list is not fixed.
Urban state: 62.17% of people lived in urban areas in 2011.
Limit: none of these figures shows how any group will vote in 2027.

Religion, Language and Reserved Categories (Census 2011)

Group	Figure	Note
Total population	14,58,545	Density 394 per sq km
Hindu	66.08%	9,64,305
Christian	25.10%	3,66,130
Muslim	8.33%	1,21,564
Konkani first language	66.11%	Official language
Marathi	10.89%	May be used officially
Hindi	8.64%
Scheduled Tribes	10.23%
Scheduled Castes	1.74%
Sex ratio	973 females per 1,000 males

Wikipedia also shows 2025 estimates (population 15.91 lakh, 77.89% urban) whose source we could not confirm, so we use the 2011 Census.

The Scheduled Tribe Reservation Act

Aug
6

Act comes into force

OfficialAug 6, 2026

What happened: The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025 became operative on 6 August 2026. Reports expect four of the 40 seats to be reserved, and unnamed sources cited by The Goan point to Priol, Sanguem, Quepem and Nuvem as likely.

Why it matters: Would redraw which seats are open to general candidates.

Status: Act in force. Seat count and list NOT confirmed by the Act’s text we saw.

Aug
5

Lok Sabha passes the Bill

OfficialAug 5, 2025

What happened: The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by voice vote after it was first introduced in August 2024 and stalled in July 2025.

Why it matters: Ended a long wait that ST groups had campaigned over.

Status: Confirmed. Rajya Sabha date not found.

Jun
1

BJP asks for immediate implementation

DebateJun 1-7, 2026

What happened: BJP Goa petitioned the Chief Electoral Officer on 1 June and Sawant led a delegation to Delhi on 7 June. CEO Sanjay Goel said the CEO can act only after a Centre notification, and that delimitation could take considerable time if needed.

Why it matters: Timing before the poll is open.

Status: Unresolved. Sources disagree on whether the 2001 or 2011 Census is the base and on who amends the delimitation order.

Reserved Seats in 2022

Category	Seats	Result
Scheduled Caste	1	Pernem: BJP’s Pravin Arlekar won
General	39	BJP 19, INC 11, IND 3, MGP 2, AAP 2, RGP 1, GFP 1

There are no Scheduled Tribe seats in the current Assembly. We have not found a sourced breakdown of how Hindu, Catholic or Muslim voters divided in 2022, and we do not infer one.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Goa’s religious breakdown?

Hindu 66.08%, Christian 25.10%, Muslim 8.33% in the 2011 Census.

What share of Goa is Scheduled Tribe?

10.23% in the 2011 Census.

Will Goa have ST seats in 2027?

An Act took effect on 6 August 2026 and four seats are expected, but the seats have not been fixed and the timing before the poll is unclear.

What is Goa’s main language?

Konkani, the first language of 66.11% in 2011 and the official language, with Marathi permitted.

Sources

Reporting and data used in this story.

Update History

November 8, 2026: first version. Census 2011 is the latest available; a new Census is under way.