Meghalaya: VPP demands special Assembly session to discuss roster system and the Reservation Policy

The Voice of the People Party (VVP) today, April 6, submitted a petition to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to convene a special session of the State Assembly to allow party members to discuss and debate roster system and the state job reservation policy in the light of the Meghalaya High Court’s order dated April 3, 2023.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, VPP general secretary, Dr Ricky RJ Syngkon said that the party would like to draw his attention to the vexed and pertinent issue on the roster System and the state Job Reservation Policy which is indeed a serious and grave matter of concern across the state that warrants a serious debate, discussion and resolution.

Syngkon also mentioned that the High Court in its order on April 3 has categorically stated, “These are policy matters that are best left to the legislature and the executive and upon a firm stand being taken, it will be open to any citizen affected thereby to question the propriety thereof in accordance with law”.

Later, while speaking to reporters after handing over the letter, the VPP general secretary said that this is the first step that the party has taken. According to him, they would leave it to the wisdom of the government to take the right decision as far as this matter is concerned.

He also stated that the party so far is yet to decide to approach other political parties in the opposition to demand the convening of the special session.

It is not just the VPP who has raised the need for a discussion on the Roster system.

Earlier, KHNAM and Achik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) too had asked for a special session to discuss the Roster system.

KHNAM had petitioned Governor Phagu Chauhan on the need to have the special session.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet next week to discuss the ruling of the Meghalaya High Court on the roster system, CLP leader Ronnie V. Lyngdoh told reporters on Wednesday.

The Meghalaya High Court had earlier refused to give any cut-off year for the roster system while dismissing a PIL by ACHIK vice president Greneth Sangma with a note that the decision for a cut-off date or how far back the roster system would be made applicable is left with the legislature and the executive.

The state government’s move to “retrospectively” use the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy to implement the roster reservation system has turned into a political hot potato with even the Khasi Students Union claiming that the roster system is flawed since it is detrimental to job seekers from the Khasi and Jaintia communities.

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