Shillong, May 10: The state Cabinet on Tuesday approved the roster system for implementation of the reservation policy in ‘letter and spirit’.

Informing this after chairing the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “We have finally approved the roster system. The roster system will ensure that the reservation policy is implemented in letter and spirit.”

The decision was taken in compliance with the order of the Meghalaya High Court, which had stayed all recruitment processes of the state government due to absence of a roster system in the state.

Asked as to when the process of job recruitment will re-start, Sangma however said the state government will submit its affidavit before the Meghalaya High Court during the hearing to be held on Wednesday.

“So let’s see how things go but the important part is the cabinet has passed the roster system so now we will take things forward,” he said adding this was a very heavy exercise as it required a lot of detailed discussions.

Stating that the state government had already put in place a roster system for implementing the 4% reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the state, he said, “With the roster system coming in supposed there are ten posts then of course there will be no reservation for the physically challenged and again next if there are 15 posts that have come out for recruitment then the 15th post will go to the physically challenged.”

Hearing a petition on April 5, a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee described the absence of a roster system as a “deplorable state of affairs”, which leaves open possibilities of nepotism and arbitrariness, and worse forms of subversions.

“The further recruitment processes for all posts in the State will remain in the sense that no further appointments will be made until the roster system is put in place,” the court had said while hearing the matter.