Meghalaya cabinet approves decision to bring state under ILP

The Meghalaya cabinet approved a resolution on Tuesday to bring the state under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.

The resolution will be tabled at the special session of the Assembly on December 19, he said.

"We have unanimously decided to approve the resolution to implement the Inner Line Permit in Meghalaya under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873," Sangma told reporters.

For several years, people of Meghalaya have been demanding enactment of ILP-like laws to protect the interests of the indigenous communities of the hill state.

The move came after the state witnessed pitched protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

The protesters demanded that the ILP be implemented in Meghalaya after the Union home minister promised to extend the law to Manipur.

ILP is in place in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.

The Nagaland government recently extended ILP to Dimapur district, bringing the entire state under its purview.

To visit the ILP-regime states, outsiders, including people from other states of the country, need to take permission. There are also protections for the locals with regards to lands, jobs and other facilities.

Meanwhile, newly-appointed Governor R N Ravi assumed office after he was sworn in at the Raj Bhavan. Sangma and his cabinet colleagues, besides top government officials, attended the ceremony.

Nagaland Governor Ravi was given additional charge of Meghalaya after incumbent Tathagata Roy was sent on leave, incidentally after a tweet that had irked people of the state.