Meghalaya sets up panel to review reservation formula, VPP MLA breaks fast

The Meghalaya government announced the constitution of an expert committee to review the 1972 reservation policy in line with demands made by the opposition

The Meghalaya government on Thursday announced the constitution of an expert committee to review the 1972 reservation policy in line with demands made by the opposition Voice of the People's Party (VPP) whose leader is on an indefinite hunger strike since last week.

Following the announcement, VPP MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit called off his hunger strike that lasted for over 200 hours.

The expert committee is mandated to review the state reservation policy by obtaining views from all stakeholders, Chief Secretary D P Wahlang said in a notification today.

"The chairperson and members of the committee shall consist of experts in constitutional law, economics, sociology, demographic studies and related fields," it added.

An all-party committee on reservation roster and reservation policy which had met on Wednesday had also supported appointing an expert committee to review the 51-year-old reservation policy.

The 1972 job reservation policy awarded 40 per cent of reserved jobs to Garos, 40 per cent for Khasi-Jaintia tribes, 5 per cent for other tribes and 15 per cent for general category candidates.

Chaired by state Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, the committee had also suggested that all political parties should submit their suggestions in writing on the matter within a period of 15 days.

Breaking his fast, Basaiawmoit said, "I am very happy that the government has expressed it is ready to review the policy as per our party's demand. I announce that I am withdrawing the protest now."

His wife fed him two tablespoons of rice as he broke his fast, and then left the site near the additional secretariat where he was protesting since May 23.

The Hynniewtrep Youth Council, which was supporting Basaiawmoit, demanded that the members of the expert committee should not have any political links.

"The experts in the committee should be apolitical," HYC president Robert Kharjahrin said.

The VPP leader said the party has also made it very clear that the ratio in terms of job reservation should be proportionate as per the population structure of the state.

According to the 2011 census, over 14.1 lakh Khasis live in Meghalaya while the number of Garo people is a little over 8.21 lakh.