Raphael Warjri

The Joint Coordination Committee on Reservation Policy (JCCRP) has outrightly trashed the report of the Expert Committee on the State’s Reservation Policy, asserting that it fails to address the core concerns of equitable representation. The committee maintained that its stand remains firm on the proportional distribution of the 80 per cent reservation quota among the Khasi, Jaiñtia and Garo communities.

At a crucial meeting convened on March 2, 2026, the JCCRP rallied support from various civil society groups, community elders, academicians and key stakeholders from Ri Lum Jaiñtia. The house unanimously resolved to intensify its demand for what it described as a constitutionally tenable and justifiable share for the people of the region, in line with the provisions of the Constitution of India.

The pressure group underscored that any recalibration of the reservation matrix must factor in the constitutional recognition accorded to the three Autonomous District Councils — the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.

Further, the JCCRP called upon the MDA government to commission a comprehensive socio-economic audit across the three Autonomous District Councils to ensure that any policy intervention is data-driven, evidence-based and anchored on transparent parameters.