Shillong, June 5: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Monday demanded that the terms of reference of the expert committee should be to review the 1972 state reservation policy.

“The Cabinet is meeting soon to decide on the matter. As we have made our stand clear in the all-party meeting, we reiterate our demand that the terms of reference of the expert committee should be to review the state reservation policy so that it will be a balanced, unbiased and fair policy,” KHNAM working president Thomas Passah said in a statement issued here.

“As per the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, the expert committee has been constituted to examine or study whether it is feasible or safe to revisit/review the state reservation policy but not to review the policy. We are made to understand that the chief minister is planning to delay this matter till the end of this five year term,” he said.

The working president also expressed apprehension that the expert committee would in the end recommend that reviewing the policy will not be feasible because it will be too risky due to the Supreme Court’s ruling that reservation cannot be beyond 50%.

“Due to this, we demand the government to include eminent personalities from Khasi region like Patricia Mukhim, VGK Kynta, Toki Blah, Robert Kharjahrin, Dr Sumarbin Umdor, HOD Economic department of NEHU and others,” he added.