ASPF slams Meghalaya govt over MPSC chair appointment, demands Garo representation

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 21, 2025

The A’chik State Peoples’ Front (ASPF) has strongly objected to the Meghalaya government’s reported decision to appoint yet another non-Garo individual as the Chairperson of the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC), calling it a violation of the state’s foundational principles of equitable representation.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, ASPF general secretary Bernita Marak expressed “deep dismay” over the move, arguing that it undermines the spirit of the Reservation Policy 1972. This policy, central to Meghalaya’s administrative framework, allocates 40% representation each to the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities in public appointments, with the remaining 20% reserved for others.

Marak emphasized that while the policy does not explicitly codify the rotation of the MPSC Chair between communities, a well-accepted informal practice has existed to ensure fair representation. “This principle has been quietly upheld for decades, maintaining a delicate balance in one of the state’s most critical constitutional bodies,” she said.

The ASPF warned that ignoring this balance would send a “demoralizing signal” to the Garo community, especially given that the Khasi-Jaintia community has held the MPSC Chairmanship nine times, compared to just seven for the Garos. They argued that a fresh appointment from the same community as the outgoing Chair would further tip the scales.

Equally concerning to the ASPF is what they called an “alarming tendency” to introduce a third category in ethnic classifications, thereby diluting the two-group framework of the 1972 Reservation Policy. “This kind of revisionism is not just administratively unsound, it risks destabilizing the carefully structured representation model Meghalaya was built upon,” said Marak.

ACHIK threatens statewide protest if Govt fails to appoint new MPSC chairman from Garo category

Citing a 2022 Meghalaya High Court ruling, the ASPF also warned against deviations from equitable and transparent appointments. The Court had explicitly noted that overlooking roster-based recruitment risks “nepotism, arbitrariness, and subversions,” a caution they believe is especially relevant in constitutional appointments like that of the MPSC Chair.

In its concluding note, the ASPF called on the Chief Minister to uphold justice, equity, and the state’s commitment to balanced governance. Should the government proceed with the appointment without considering Garo representation, the ASPF has vowed to pursue legal and democratic avenues, including peaceful mobilization.

“The Chairmanship must now go to a Garo. To do otherwise would be a direct affront to the values that shaped our state,” the letter added.