By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 25: Leader of Opposition, Mukul M. Sangma on Wednesday urged a cautious, constitutionally balanced approach to the ongoing debate on the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy. He called for sensitive discussions to be held internally rather than prolonged publicly.
Participating in the short-duration discussion on the Expert Committee’s report in the Assembly, Sangma noted that the issue had been raised repeatedly over the years, both inside and outside the House—often informally to avoid unnecessary escalation due to its sensitive nature.
Successive governments had handled the matter with caution, balancing emotions and empathy among communities. The current debate intensified after judicial intervention on aspects of policy implementation.
“As lawmakers, we must interpret constitutional provisions carefully—it’s often a tightrope walk,” Sangma said. He expressed gratitude to the state’s founding leaders, who, after Meghalaya’s creation, adopted a balanced approach despite statistical differences among communities.
They safeguarded the interests of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo tribes while accommodating other tribes and retaining a 15 per cent open merit category. “If we rely solely on statistics, the debate may never end,” he remarked. “What matters is the spirit of the unanimous decision taken then.” He added that government employees, as custodians of state authority, play a vital role in governance.
Sangma stressed that Articles 16(4) and 16(4B) must be read alongside Articles 16(1) and 16(2), not in isolation. Judicial interpretations, including Supreme Court rulings, consistently highlight their interconnectedness.
“Neither the Judiciary, Legislature, nor Parliament should be taken for granted—we must maintain constitutional balance,” he said.
Referring to the 1972 notification declaring reservations for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, Sangma highlighted the key proviso: unfilled reserved vacancies could be carried forward only to the next recruitment year if suitable candidates were unavailable. He called this “extremely important” and questioned strict adherence in implementation.
On backlog and the roster system, he noted that Article 16(4B) permits unfilled vacancies to be treated as a separate class in subsequent years without exceeding the overall reservation ceiling.
Sangma also praised the performance of youths from various communities in Meghalaya Public Service Commission civil service exams, many succeeding in the open category on merit.
“This shows our youth can compete not just in reserved categories but in open competition,” he said, urging recognition of their competence.
He linked rising sensitivity over the roster system to limited job opportunities, urging the government to generate more employment—both through self-employment/entrepreneurship and expanded government/institutional jobs—to meet educated youth aspirations.
Calling for unity, empathy, and mutual respect, Sangma requested the Chief Minister to convene an internal discussion among all members.
“Such deliberations are better in a closed setting than on the House floor. As collective leaders, we must guide our youth and future generations with unity, fairness, and responsibility.”
