Meghalaya Cabinet unanimously approves official resolution on ILP; to be tabled in Assembly on Dec 19
Shillong, Dec 17:
The Meghalaya Cabinet today unanimously approved the official resolution to urge upon the Centre to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State of Meghalaya under the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation of 1873.
Talking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed that the official resolution will be taken up for discussion during the special session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to be held on December 19.
Earlier while speaking on the sideline after the swearing in of RN Ravi as the Governor designate of Meghalaya, Chief Minister said that, until and unless, in the Preamble of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, the word Meghalaya is not inserted, it will not be possible for the Centre to notify the implementation of the Inner Line Permit in the State.
The statement from Meghalaya Chief Minister came a day after former Nongkrem legislator, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had asked the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government to issue a notification to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system instead of seeking the Centre's approval by passing a resolution in the House.
According to Conrad, there is a preamble in the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation which defines the areas where it can be notified and implemented.
Stating that the Preamble has been changed in the past through Presidential notification, he said that the recent one was done on December 2019 where Manipur was added.
Referring to the statement of the former Nongkrem legislator, Chief Minister said the former MLA is probably referring to the earlier Act where the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia were mentioned in the Preamble; But this is not there anymore.
"We will be adopting the official resolution in the special session to impress upon the Centre to implement ILP in the State," he said.
It may be mentioned that various social organisations and civil societies are demanding the implementation of ILP in the State to counter the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.
