SHILLONG, Aug 26: Former Judge of Madhya Pradesh High
Court Justice (retired) Mool Chand Garg has been appointed as
chairman of the Expert Committee constituted by the
Meghalaya State government for reviewing the State
Reservation Policy.
The names of the five members of the Expert Committee were
approved by the Meghalaya State Cabinet chaired by Chief
Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Former Judge of Allahabad High Court Justice (Retired) Dr
Satish Chandra was also appointed as an expert member in
Constitutional law. Justice Chandra is also a former president of
the Custom, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal.
The other three expert members are Prof DV Kumar from the
Department of Sociology, NEHU, Shillong as an expert member
in Sociology, Prof Chander Shekhar from Department of Fertility
and Social Demography, Indian Institute of Population Sciences
(deemed to be University), Mumbai as an expert member in
population studies and Prof Subhadip Mukherjee, Assistant
Professor of Economics and Public Policy in IIM, Shillong as
expert member in Economics.
Meghalaya Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said that the
terms of reference of the Expert Committee will be to study the
current reservation policy and recommend modifications, if
necessary and to undertake wide-ranging consultations with all
stakeholders and visit various locations of the State to solicit
the views of all stakeholders.
“The timeframe to be given to this committee will be 12
months to complete its task,” said.
Lyngdoh said, “Once you announce the constitution of this
committee then all political parties will have to step up and
NGOs, civil society and everybody will be called by the expert
committee. Their terms of reference are very clear. They will
look at these suggestions, views, and opinions of stakeholders
across the state and accordingly submit these suggestions and
views to the government of Meghalaya for further action.”
She however said that the government has nothing to say to
people, who want to participate in giving their views and
suggestions to the expert committee.
Further, the minister also announced that the committee of
political parties on reservation policy will cease to operate
following the constitution of the expert committee.
“The political committee set up for the purpose was inadequate
in terms of expertise. We have said we are not experts on this
matter so we are bringing in the experts so yes that will cease
to operate,” she said. (NNN)
