SHILLONG, AUG 27: The state assembly on Tuesday rejected a Bill tabled by the Voice of the People Party (VPP) to offer special reservation to non-creamy layer of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population in Meghalaya.
The Meghalaya Reservation for Non-Creamy Layer of Scheduled Tribes (in State Reservation Policy) Bill, 2024 was rejected through voice vote.
“The No’s have it, the motion is not carried and leave to introduce the Bill is not granted. The Bill is therefore rejected by the House,” Assembly Deputy Speaker Timothy D Shira said after the Bill proposed by VPP legislator Adelbert Nongrum was put to vote.
Earlier, reasoning in favour of the Bill, the North Shillong MLA said the Bill seeks to address economic disparities among the ST population by providing reservation of non-creamy layer of ST in the state while implementing the State Reservation Policy.
“Definitive empirical data available with the government of Meghalaya clearly shows that the economic condition of a greater percentage of the Scheduled Tribe population of the state is weak and disadvantaged,” he said, adding, “And whereas Articles 16 (4) and 15 (5) of the Constitution of India allows for the state to make provisions so as to ensure that the benefits of reservation reach the most disadvantaged class of citizens.”
Further, Nongrum pointed out that a seven-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court in a 6:1 majority had upheld the validity of sub-classification within Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories, and gave a decision that states have the power to create these sub-classifications,
“So to address inter se economic disparities within the Scheduled Tribes category in the state, and to allocate opportunities in public employment and higher education more effectively, a suitable legislation is required in interest of uplifting the disadvantaged people of the state,” he added.
