SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday said the government will revisit the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016, to further strengthen the existing Act.
Talking to media persons after a meeting with a delegation of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) here, Tynsong said the government was committed to making a comprehensive act to address the concerns of various stakeholders.
He further said the main objective behind the thought of revisiting the act was to incorporate or delete some of the existing provisions which would help strengthen the act further.
The deputy chief minister said the Meghalaya Residents and Safety Security Act, 2016, allows the authority to screen and check but there is no mention about giving some document to those people from outside.
When asked that HYC is stressing the need to incorporate the provisions in the Inner Line Permit as a measure to curb influx, Tynsong said not necessarily that provisions like ILP would be incorporated “but it is committed to have a very strong act”.
Tynsong said they would refer the matter to the Law Department that can propose the amendment. “We will ultimately take back to the Assembly for the passing of the proposed amendment,” he added.
Meanwhile, HYC president Robertjune Kharjahrin, who referred to the security measures at the secretariat, said, “We are happy to experience an ILP-like situation here where you have to show documents and inform who we want to meet and the organisation that we belong.”
HYC expressed confidence that the present state government will incorporate the spirit of ILP in the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016.
However, Kharjahrin said the council has decided to continue checking of outsiders entering the state until the government is ready to implement ILP.
It is demanding immediate implementation of ILP and the National Register of Citizens.
Home Minister James Sangma also attended Monday’s meeting.
