Shillong, May 18: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has emphasized that a reservation policy without a proper roster system holds no significance. Following a meeting with the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) partners on Thursday, Sangma expressed his views, asserting that discussing the roster system without addressing the reservation policy would be inadequate. He explained that reservation and roster are distinct subjects, and without an effective roster, reservation loses its purpose.
Sangma’s statement came in response to the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), which stated that merely discussing the roster system without addressing the reservation policy would not be sufficient. KHNAM urged the government to include the reservation policy in the all-party meeting scheduled for Friday.
The Chief Minister clarified the significance of the roster system, describing it as a mechanism to implement the reservation policy effectively. When questioned about demands from KHNAM and the Voice of the People Party (VPP) to review the reservation policy based on population, Sangma stated that the broader discussion on the reservation policy would not take place during the ongoing meetings.
“These three days have been specifically allocated for the roster system to comply with the court order and ensure the implementation of the reservation policy formulated in 1972,” Sangma emphasized.
During the meeting, Sangma provided a presentation, and the MLAs and leaders of the MDA partners shared their opinions and suggestions, which were duly noted. Sangma mentioned that a decision had already been made regarding the roster system and further explained that the government was reaching out to all stakeholders and MLAs to clarify the system being followed.
When asked about the unanimous support of the MDA partners for the cabinet’s decision on the roster system, Sangma replied, “They have understood and appreciated the different points we have made, but they still have several doubts. It is a complicated matter, and there will be many scenarios and complications that arise. They have requested time to absorb the information and have promised to discuss it further.”
Sangma reiterated that all actions were based on the roster and reservation policy, stating, “We are very clear on that. It is a simple formula that has been followed.”
He emphasized that the roster system is mandated by the Government of India and the Supreme Court, and therefore, Meghalaya should have implemented it from the beginning. The roster system ensures that specific posts meant for certain communities are appropriately allocated.
Explaining further, Sangma described how the roster system designates positions to different categories. For instance, if a reservation roster is implemented, it will assign position 1 to the unreserved category, position 2 to the Khasi-Jaintia category, position 3 to the Garo category, and so on. This system ensures that when interviews or appointments are conducted for multiple positions, each category receives representation.
