Shillong: The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Tuesday rejected the Meghalaya Reservation for Non-Creamy Layer of Scheduled Tribes (in State Reservation Policy) Bill, 2024, proposed by Voice of the People Party (VPP) legislator Adelbert Nongrum from North Shillong.
After the Bill was put to a vote, the Bill was dismissed through a voice vote.
While presenting the statement of objects and reasons, Nongrum explained that the Bill aimed to reserve benefits for the non-creamy layer of Scheduled Tribes under the State Reservation Policy. He emphasized that empirical data from the government of Meghalaya indicates that a significant portion of the state’s Scheduled Tribe population remains economically weak and disadvantaged.
Nongrum pointed out that Articles 16(4) and 15(5) of the Constitution of India empower the state to create provisions ensuring that the benefits of reservation reach the most disadvantaged citizens. He further cited a Supreme Court ruling by a seven-judge constitutional bench, which, with a 6:1 majority, upheld the validity of sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. The court ruled that states have the authority to create such sub-classifications.
Nongrum argued that to address economic disparities within the Scheduled Tribes category and to allocate opportunities in public employment and higher education more effectively, the state needs suitable legislation to uplift its disadvantaged population.
