MRSSA is not a substitute or adjunct to ILP: Paul Lyngdoh

Correspondent

Shillong: Cabinet Minister and MDA-II spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh on Friday reiterated that the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) is not intended to replace or complement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, amid renewed calls for ILP implementation following recent incidents allegedly involving non-locals.

 “You see, the MRSSA is not supposed to be a substitute or an adjunct to the ILP, but the MRSSA is a state law under which the government and also the State Assembly have had several rounds of debate. And it is, in one sense, an improvement upon the ILP because it has been draughted and framed by lawmakers of this century,” said Lyngdoh.

He pointed out the colonial origins of the ILP under the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation and argued that the MRSSA offers greater legislative flexibility. “So to that extent, the MRSSA would also allow the State Assembly to come up with amendments from time to time, as and when needed,” he said.

 “So I leave it to the wisdom of the electorate, but here we have a State Act which we are at liberty to improve upon at any point in time,” Lyngdoh added. His remarks came in response to Voice of the People Party (VPP) spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh, who reignited the demand for ILP, linking it to public safety concerns, unchecked tourism, and governance gaps.

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