SHILLONG, MAY 23: The Meghalaya High Court has granted the state government time to file an affidavit-in-reply in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by VPP MLA Adelbert Nongrum challenging the reservation process for state quota seats in higher academic courses.

The order was passed by the division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh on Friday.

During the hearing, the learned Advocate General A Kumar questioned the maintainability of the PIL and sought time to file an affidavit-in-reply.

“Time granted. The same to be filed before the next date with an advance copy to the learned counsel for the petitioner,” the order stated.

The matter has been posted for June 5, 2026.

Nongrum’s PIL challenges the State’s practice of applying the Job Reservation Policy to allocate Central Pool Quota seats for courses like MBBS, engineering, and agriculture, contending that there is no separate reservation policy for academic purposes and that reservation without an enabling law is unconstitutional.

According to the petition, the government of Meghalaya issues notifications for eligible students to apply for these state quota seats. While selecting candidates, the authority relies on the State’s job reservation policy to allocate seats to Khasi-Jaintia, Garo, other indigenous communities and the General category.

“The categories of reservation, and the quantum of reservation, for selecting candidates to State Quota seats in higher academic courses is taken mutatis mutandis from the Job Reservation Policy of the State. There is no separate Reservation Policy for academic purposes,” the PIL states.

Nongrum argued that reservation is an exception to the general rule of equality under the Constitution. “The Hon’ble Courts of this country are aware that Reservation is an exception to the general rule of Equality, and therefore Reservation without the backing of enabling law is illegal and unconstitutional,” the petition reads.

The VPP legislator said the PIL has been filed to address the legal vacuum in the academic reservation process for Central Pool seats. The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the Meghalaya High Court.

Also Read: Meghalaya ranks among India’s fastest-growing Economies: Client Associates Study

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