The history of municipalities in Goa is perhaps unique not only in India, but also in the entire east. It is a fact that the first municipal SENADO (Senate) in this part of the world had its origin in Old Goa, in the 16 th century. The SENADO was a city council established in Rome to run the affairs of that city. This system introduced in Portugal in the 3 rd century BC, by the Romans, took deep roots in that country and got spread in its turn to Portuguese colonies.

The date of establishment of the 1 SENADO in Old Goa is still under investigation as some historians place it on April 1511, while the others try to fix it in October of that year i.e, prior to Albuquerque’s voyage to Malaca, when he conquered that city. The fact however remains that Albuquerque, as soon as he took over the city from the Mohammedans, established the SENADO in the city of Old Goa.

For this purpose, he appointed Diogo Fernandes to work on its organization and ordered the construction of a building with its private chapel that came up later by the side of the present day Cathedral, towards the north. The Royal assent for the establishment of the Senado and the charter bestowing upon the citizens of Old Goa, promulgated on March 2, 1518.

Both these historical documents as well as other provisions, edits, orders, etc are recorded and copied in a book, bound in red velvet and having on its front cover in pure silver, the arms of the old “SENADO”. The arms are presented by a shield topped by a crown in relief over the wheel of the martyrdom of. St. Catherine of Alexandria on which date Afonso de Albuquerque entered the city on 25 th November 1510. The title of the SENADO was “ Nobre e Leal Senado de Camara de Goa” (Noble & Loyal Senate of the City of Goa). This historic velvet covered book is presently in the custody of the Panjim Municipal Council.

The ‘SENADO’ was originally composed of six Senators viz. One Fidalgo (grandee); two “nobres” (noblemen); two ordinary judges and one representative of the city (Procurador de cidade). Besides there were four representatives of works guild (Mesteirais). The first six Senators were Pedro Godinho, Joao Rois Pais, Ruy Gonsalves, Ruy Dias, Jorge Ribeiro and B. Irineu. All these were Europeans and were directly involved in administration of the city.

The SENADO could deal directly with the Crown. This fact, however, brought the SENADO many a time in confrontation with the State authorities. The important undertaking of the Senado was the construction of the Linhares (Patto) bridge (1633-34), in a length of 3026 metres and bringing an alluvial area of nearly 24 Sq. kms into cultivation, pisciculture and under salt pans.

The SENADO had also their representatives or their attorneys in the Court of Lisbon. The first attorneys in Lisbon were Manuel de Sampaio and Damiao Bernardes (1517) who were responsible to send to Goa the first two documents i.e, of the creation of the SENADO and that of bestowing upon the citizens of Old Goa the privileges enjoyed by their counterparts in Lisbon.

Some changes in the internal administration of these councils were introduced in 1832. As laid down under the constitution of 1822 the SENADO was replaced by ‘Camara Municipal de Goa’. Under Provisional Government, a municipality was substituted by a committee in 1835, but was again re-established as ‘Camara Municipal’ in 1836. According to the Administrative Code of 1842, the ‘Camara’ was composed of 7 members (Vereadores). This number was further raised to nine by the Charter on 1917.

Prior to the liberation of the territory, there were 11 municipalities in the district covering all the talukas in the district. The jurisdiction of these municipalities was extended over the entire taluka. They were maintained from their own resources built up by way of taxation and Government grants, which were in proportion to the taxes levied by them on selected items. These grants were meant to meet the expenditure of the development schemes of the municipal area.

The legislation called the “Reforma Administrativa Ultramarina” which was a uniform legislation covering not only Goa, but also other Portuguese colonies, regulated the working and functioning of the municipalities during the pre-liberation period and also in the post liberation period, till the enforcement of the Goa, Daman and Diu Municipalities Act, 1968.

Now, coming to the shifting of the SENADO from Old Goa to Panjim, it may be recalled that in view of crescent epidemics in the city of Old Goa, the SENADO appealed to the Crown on 11 th December 1819, for shifting the headquarters to Panjim. Here, it was housed in several private buildings and again in 1845 shifted to S.Pedro (Panvel). From here, soon it was transferred to Panjim. Finally, the “Camara Municipal de Goa” (Goa Municipal Council), the successor of the old “SENADO” constructed its own building which was quite imposing in front of the “Jardim Garcia da Orta”. This building was demolished in 1957.

With the enforcement of the Goa, Daman and Diu Municipalities Act, 1968, the old pre-liberation legislation was repealed and the jurisdiction of the Municipal area, which earlier was covering the entire talukas was restricted only to the urban area.

The first step taken by the Government, after the enforcement of this Act, was to hold general elections for constitution of the Municipal Councils with duly elected representatives of the urban area.