Debate over ‘faulty’ job quota policy

SHILLONG, June 9: UDP vice president, Allantry Franklin Dkhar has said a certain section has claimed that the reservation policy is flawed but it based its demand on that very faulty policy.
“We are of the opinion that the strength and the spirit of Article 16 clause 4 will be of help as it speaks of reservation for the weaker section,” the UDP vice president said.
Without naming any political party, he added, “In respect to the demand of other sections, which is based on population, the article does not provide for that absorption.”
“They have already classified that this policy is flawed. So if the policy is flawed, how can you make your demand based on the flawed policy which talks about population?” he asked.
Dkhar said it was an internal meeting of the UDP where they had an interaction with legal luminaries of the state but nothing came out of it.
The contention of the Voice of the People Party, which was spearheading the demand for a review of the reservation policy, is that the policy is not based on the demographic composition.
It argued that Khasis and Jaintias deserve a larger share as their population increased compared to Garos.
The UDP leadership on Friday held a meeting with the legal experts to discuss on the job reservation policy of 1972.
The meeting between the UDP leadership and the legal luminaries was held at the chamber of Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) Chairman and party president, Metbah Lyngdoh.
The meeting was attended by UDP leaders Paul Lyngdoh, Jemino Mawthoh, Kyrmen Shylla, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Olan Singh Suin, and Nujorki Sungoh.
Senior lawyer, VGK Kynta also attended the meeting.
Kynta said that he was thankful to the UDP for taking the initiative to call a discussion on the burning issue.
“We had a fruitful discussion. I am ready if any other political party wants to invite me to their meetings,” he said.
UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh said that the meeting with the legal experts was primarily meant to help the party MLAs and leaders to understand the controversies surrounding the job reservation policy.
“We want to have a concrete understanding of both the roster system and reservation policy,” Lyngdoh added.