SHILLONG, May 10: Days after an admonition from the High Court of Meghalaya, the state cabinet on Tuesday approved the roster system for the implementation of the reservation policy in Meghalaya.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the matter would come up for hearing in the high court on Wednesday.
“The important part was to clear the roster,” he said.
Citing an example, he said the government had implemented the roster system for a 4% reservation for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
He said if there are 25 posts, one post would be reserved for PwDs but under the roster system, the PwDs will miss out if there are 10 posts. If there are 15 posts, the 15th post will be reserved for them.
“The roster system ensures that reservation policy is implemented in letter and spirit,” Sangma said.
Hearing a PIL, the high court had in April granted three weeks’ time to the state government to introduce the roster system for implementation of the job reservation policy. It stayed all recruitment processes until the state government put the roster system in place.
The court also reminded the state government that the roster system is relevant only for entry-level posts unless the reservation is provided for promotion. It rued the lack of a roster system despite 50 years of Meghalaya’s statehood. In addition, the Cabinet approved the notification for Meghalaya Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Rules, 2022.
Further, the Cabinet also approved a proposal for establishment of a model degree college at Patharkhmah and creation of teaching and non-teaching posts.