SHILLONG, May 29: Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh-headed ‘Reservation Roster System’ committee on Monday decided to request the state government to allow it to go beyond the terms of reference.
After a meeting of the committee, Lyngdoh told reporters it would write to the government to allow it to take up a discussion on the job reservation policy which would be in the best interest of the people of the state.
She said the committee’s mandate is to discuss the inclusiveness of the recommendations which are to be submitted to the government.
“As of now, the VPP, which has four MLAs, is not part of this conversation and discussion. Hence, it lacks inclusiveness. If you want it to be inclusive, then we may extend the main discussion on the job reservation policy because other members of other political parties in their deliberations had referred to other points of the reservation policy,” Lyngdoh said.
She said the committee by default had to discuss the reservation policy.
“We did an exercise that was already completed because the roster in isolation from reservation policy does not stand its ground. It will only stand if you open this discussion on certain aspects of the reservation policy as well,” Lyngdoh said.
She was not sure whether Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will allow the committee to take this up or whether he will form another committee of experts or chair a committee.
“We will leave it to the wisdom of the government. A committee is not a cabinet and every policy decision is taken at the cabinet level. We are just here (in the committee) for the main purpose of discussing the proposed reservation roster system. Any decisions we take have to be forwarded to the chief minister who will then discuss it with the cabinet,” Lyngdoh explained.
She said it is only then that they can bring necessary changes in various office memorandums (OMs).
“Many OMs, which were issued, will now have to be reviewed, particularly the OM of May 22, 2022 if the application of the roster system is prospective,” Lyngdoh said.
She urged VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit to attend the next discussion since the committee is going to request the government to initiate discussions on the job reservation policy. She said there was a unanimous agreement on the proposed roster system as discussed by all political parties.
The Minister said the committee will meet again on May 31 at 2:30 pm at the conference room of the Main Secretariat. She said the political parties will be given an opportunity to share suggestions and observations there.
Those who attended the meeting on Monday were Bajop Pyngrope of NPP, Zenith M. Sangma of TMC, Himalaya M. Shangpliang of BJP, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh of Congress, Renikton L. Tongkhar of UDP and Methodius Dkhar of HSPDP. Augustine Marak of Garo National Council attended it virtually. KHNAM could not attend it as it had received the notice very late.
