Inner Line Permit issue still pending with Centre, Meghalaya CM tells Assembly

By Payal Mehta
Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], September 12 : The long-pending issue of demanding an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Meghalaya is still pending with the Centre, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told the State Assembly on Monday.
While replying to a Zero Hour notice by Mayralborn Syiem, MLA Nongpoh, Sangma said that the demand for the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) has been a long pending issue.
"Demand for ILP even grew stronger after the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act, with several NGOs convening meetings in and around the State expressing their dissent against the non-implementation of ILP in the State. In view of the increasing demand for implementation of ILP, this August House convened a one-day special Session on December 19, 2019, and unanimously adopted a resolution in favour of implementing ILP in the State," the CM told the Assembly.
Conrad said that a delegation of local MLAs met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on February 20, 2020, and the delegation was informed that the Central Government was examining the resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
He further informed the assembly that during the 6th Plenary North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting attended by the Union Home Minister in January 2021, members of seven NGOs comprising KSU, FKJGP, HNYF, GSU, RBYF, ADE, and AY WO, wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, seeking an appointment with Shah, and seven members from each organisation met him and they conveyed the importance of implementing ILP in the State.
Several other local NGOs also demanded for a similar appointment with the Union Home Minister, but they were assured that they will be called to New Delhi for further deliberation on the matter.
Further quoting a news article that appeared locally in regards to the increase in demand of the ILP in the state the Chief Minister said, "Pertaining to the news item dated 16' July 2022 that appeared in the Shillong Times, regarding the growing demand for ILP by NGOs, it is worth noting that any protests being held by various groups have been largely peaceful. Effective law and order situation is being ensured by the State police."
"It may be stated that the Resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on 19 December 2019 was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Government again approached the Union Home Minister on the matters vide D.O. No.CM/UM/2020/21 dated November 17, 2020, during the visit of the Union Home Minister to the State on 23 February 2021, a Memorandum was submitted by the State Government in which the matter relating to the demand for implementation of ILP in the State is also included along with other demands. The State of Meghalaya is awaiting the response of the Government of India on the matter," he said.
He further said that Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Labour and Employment, Rameswar Teli officially visited the State of Meghalaya, on July 12, 2022, wherein he stated that the Government of India desired to see Meghalaya on the railway map.
An Inner Line Permit is an official travel document issued by a state government to allow inward travel of a national into a protected area for a limited time.