Liberation and Statehood

After liberation, the Government of India appointed Major General K.P. Candeth as the Military Governor of Goa and R.C.V.P. Noronha and G.K. Handoo as Chief Advisor and Special Advisor respectively. The first Lieutenant Governor of Goa, Daman and Diu took over on June 8, 1962.

The Indian Parliament passed the 12th Amendment of the constitution in 1962, integrating Goa, Daman and Diu with the Indian Union from the day of liberation and including these as Union territories in the first schedule of the constitution.

An Informal Consultative Council consisting of 29 members was formed on September 24, 1962. In October, the first panchayat (rural, village level) election allowed people’s participation in administration.

In December, general elections for 30 State Assembly and 2 Parliamentary seats were held which sent Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) as the winner. The MGP formed the first popular ministry on December 20, 1962, with Shri Dayanand Bandodkar as the first Chief Minister.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, took over the administrative control from the Ministry of External Affairs on September 1, 1964. The close lingual and cultural ties of Goa with Maharashtra and of Daman and Diu with Gujarat necessitated an opinion poll in January 1967.

The people of Goa, Daman and Diu opted for Union Territory status instead of merger with respective states. A fresh general election followed when again the MGP won a majority.

 

Statehood

The long-cherished dream of the people of Goa finally became a joyful reality when, on May 30, 1987, Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi formally declared Goa as the 25th state of the country, amidst thunderous applause of thousands of people gathered at this special occasion at Campal ground in Panaji.