Imphal, September 19: MPP president MLA O Joy and party�s legislature wing leader Dr Nimaichand Luwang have demanded that competitive examination scheduled to be conducted by MPSC in January next year should be postponed if Government could not declare reservation policy of the minority Muslims ahead of it.

Speaking to reporters at the party office this afternoon, O Joy and Dr Nimaichand Luwang said demands of All Manipur Muslim Students� Organisation (AMMSO) for reservation policy on Government jobs and admission to higher education of Muslim students in Manipur are genuine.

The two maintained that Meeteis would have their share in the reservation policy being demanded by the Muslims.

Though it has come late, yet the announcement of the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on setting up of a three-member Commission to look into and assess number of seats be reserved for the Muslims is appreciable, they said.

The MLAs insisted that report of the Commission should be finalised and necessary measures made for implementation of the reservation policy before commencement of competitive examination conducted by MPSC next year.

In case, such arrangement could not be made, the competitive examination should be deferred, they demanded.

While noting that the Indian Constitution could make/create special provisions for upliftment of people belonging to economically backward section of the society, they pointed out that it is the responsibility of State Government concerned to decide which section of the society should enjoy such benefits.

As per directive of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel and Tradition (Dec 29, 1993) job reservation policies of the OBC and Muslims could be created separately at the all India level.

However, in Manipur out of the total reserved seats 50, two are allotted to SC, 31 marked for ST and 17 for OBC without any provision for the Muslims thereby necessitating annulment of State�s reservation policy by dividing OBC quotas with the Muslims, they observed.

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