Context: Meghalaya has brought an ordinance that makes registration on entry mandatory for visitors who intend to spend more than 24 hours in the state.

• An amendment to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 has been passed to include this provision amid demands for an inner line permit (ILP) system to stop illegal immigration into the state.
• Exemption: Central and state government employees are exempt from the new entry rule.

Rationale behind this move:

The amendment comes in the backdrop of demands by civil society and political leaders, that people excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam might try to enter Meghalaya.

Background:

Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) 2016 aims to ensure the security of the tenants as well as the safety and security of the citizens of the state.

• It provides for verification and regulation the tenants residing in rented houses in the state.
• It also establishes District Task Force and Facilitation Centres for effective enforcement of various laws for the safety and security of the citizens.

What is an ILP?

Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document required by Indian citizens residing outside certain “protected” states while entering them. The ILP is issued by the Government of India and is obligatory for all those who reside outside the protected states. With the ILP, the government aims to regulate movement to certain areas located near the international border of India.

Origin of ILP:

ILP’s origin dates back to the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873, which protected the British Crown’s interest in tea, oil and elephant trade.

It prohibited “British subjects” or Indians from entering into these protected areas.

After Independence, in 1950, the word “British subjects” was replaced by Citizens of India and the focus of the ban on free movement was explained as a bid to protect tribal cultures in northeastern India.

Currently, the Inner Line Permit is operational in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

It can be issued for travel purposes solely.