Meghalaya to review expert panel report on reservation policy before taking decision

The Meghalaya government has decided to carefully examine the recommendations of the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy before taking any call on the matter, Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh said on September 8.

Addressing reporters after a cabinet meeting, Lyngdoh confirmed that the government has received the report and acknowledged its significance.

“The cabinet took cognisance of the report and has decided to study it. It is a voluminous report running into several thousands of pages. After due diligence, we should be able to come up with a decision on the various recommendations,” he said.

The expert committee was set up in May 2023 after sustained pressure from groups in Khasi and Jaintia Hills, who argued that the current reservation structure disproportionately benefits one community. The demand gained momentum when Voice of the People Party (VPP) president Ardent Basaiawmoit staged a fast-unto-death last year. He ended his protest after more than 200 hours once the government agreed to form the panel.

The panel was tasked with reviewing the reservation policy, engaging with stakeholders, and suggesting possible changes within constitutional and legal boundaries. Its report, submitted in June this year, includes recommendations ranging from maintaining the existing system to introducing fresh elements, such as economic criteria.

Lyngdoh made it clear that the government will take its time. “We have just received the report. We will need some time before we come up with a decision,” he said, adding that the cabinet has the authority to accept or reject the proposals. “We have always been balanced, and we will continue to be so. Recommendations are just suggestions, but the decision is finally that of the state government.”

The minister stressed that no hasty step will be taken as the issue carries “wide-ranging ramifications.”