Opposition Voice of People’s Party (VPP) president Ardent Basaiawmoit has called for a 7% increase in the reservation quota for the Khasi community while maintaining the 40% reservation for the Garo community. He highlighted that the VPP seeks a review of the reservation policy, arguing that it unfairly favors the Garo tribe, especially as the Khasi population, which includes sub-tribes such as Jaintias, Wars, Bhois, and Lyngngams, has surpassed the Garos over the years. Since 1972, both the Garo and Khasi communities have had 40% of state government jobs reserved for them, with an additional 5% for other tribes and 15% for the general category. During a recent discussion in the State Assembly, Basaiawmoit criticized the expert committee’s recommendation to retain the current policy without substantial changes, noting that the high court’s concerns were mainly about the lack of a roster system rather than the policy itself. He cited Clause 4 of Article 16 of the Constitution, which aims to rectify the inadequate representation of both communities while ensuring administrative efficiency. In response, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma warned that any changes to the reservation policy, which currently allocates 85% for Scheduled Tribes, might attract judicial scrutiny due to a Supreme Court ruling that prohibits caste and community-based reservations exceeding 50%. Sangma also referenced the Expert Committee’s report, which cautioned against significant modifications to the existing reservation framework.