INNER LINE PERMIT SYSTEM IN MEGHALAYA
A REPORTER
SHILLONG: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) has sought the intervention of the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla for the immediate implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State.
"(We) humbly request that your party as the single largest party in the NDA government to kindly request the Home Ministry and the Government of India to accord approval for implementation of the ILP system in the State of Meghalaya," the CoMSO said in its letter to Birla.
It also pointed out that already four States of the North East have put in place laws and mechanisms to contain the unregulated entry of people into their States by implementing the ILP system, which is an offshoot of the 'Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873'.
"However, our State — which has been demanding the ILP for a very long time — has been denied this law and its mechanism by the Central government," wrote the CoMSO.
It further said that Meghalaya — just like Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur — is a small State where the indigenous people are minority in the context of national population.
Hence, the indigenous communities of Meghalaya need special protection just like the indigenous people of the other four States referred to above, pointed out CoMSO. Admitting that Meghalaya is a transit State to other NE States, the CoMSO further suggested that flexible rules may be framed by the State government to implement the ILP system so that persons using the State only for transit purpose will not be affected.
Also Watch: Student Dies in a Road Accident in Biswanath