Meghalaya CM to push for inner line permit in meeting with Amit Shah

Shillong, March 16: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is expected to bring up the long-pending demand for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) during a crucial meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Guwahati on Sunday.

The meeting, convened by the Union Home Ministry, will primarily focus on the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in the northeastern states.

However, ILP—a protective mechanism aimed at regulating the entry of non-residents into the state—will likely dominate discussions for Meghalaya.

The demand for ILP has been a contentious issue in Meghalaya for over a decade. While the Meghalaya Assembly passed a resolution in 2019 urging the Centre to grant ILP status to the state, the proposal remains in limbo. The introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) further intensified calls for ILP, as various pressure groups argue that the exemption of Meghalaya from the CAA does not provide adequate protection against an influx of migrants.

The withdrawal of the long-sanctioned railway line connecting Shillong to Byrnihat has added another layer of urgency to the ILP debate. Many pressure groups, including the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), have opposed railway projects in Meghalaya due to concerns over unchecked migration.

They argue that without ILP in place, any new transport infrastructure could lead to a demographic shift in the region. Sangma, in an attempt to strike a balance between development and the need for regulation, has indicated plans to hold discussions with local stakeholders, including the KSU, civil societies, and other pressure groups, to address concerns.

ILP is currently in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur, requiring outsiders to obtain permits for temporary travel.

Advocates for ILP in Meghalaya believe that without such a protective mechanism, the state will be vulnerable to increased migration, particularly from neighboring Assam and Bangladesh.

Several activist groups claim that Meghalaya's partial exemption from the CAA is not enough to prevent what they term a "spillover effect," where migrants who fail to settle in Assam could move into Meghalaya instead.

The Khasi Students’ Union has been particularly vocal, warning both the state and central governments that if no concrete steps are taken, they may enforce ILP independently. The union has vowed to continue its campaign against illegal immigration, mobilising local communities to press for stricter measures.

Amid the ongoing ILP deadlock, the Meghalaya government has suggested strengthening the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) to enhance monitoring of non-residents entering the state. However, pressure groups argue that MRSSA alone is insufficient without ILP as a legally enforced restriction.

With the Centre yet to act on Meghalaya’s ILP resolution, all eyes will be on Sunday’s meeting in Guwahati. Sangma’s discussions with Amit Shah could determine the future course of action on ILP and shape Meghalaya’s approach to balancing security concerns with infrastructure development.