Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday assured that the report of the expert committee reviewing Meghalaya’s reservation policy—estimated to weigh around 200 kg and comprising 4,000 to 5,000 pages—will be made public soon after due examination and cabinet review.
Responding to opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) president Ardent Basaiawmoit’s announcement of a protest if the report is not released, Sangma said there was no intention to withhold the document from the public.
“It will be made public. As I said, it is a huge report—around 200 kilograms, about 4,000 to 5,000 pages—and one has to go through every single word, because even a comma can change the meaning of a sentence or the report,” the Chief Minister said.
Highlighting the complexity and sensitivity of the issue, Sangma explained that senior officials are currently scrutinising the document in detail.
“The Chief Secretary and other officials have to go through every line and every page. It is a very big task. Once they complete the examination, it will be placed before the cabinet,” he said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the report will be released to the public immediately after the cabinet is briefed.
“As soon as it is submitted to us, we will make it public. There is no question of not doing so,” Sangma asserted.
Emphasising the importance of the report to the people of Meghalaya, he added that officials cannot afford to overlook even a single word due to the sensitive nature of the reservation policy.
“This is a matter of great importance. We will definitely make it public, but it has to be handled with utmost care,” he said.