Now, KHADC pushes for ILP in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: After the controversial lineage bill, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has now decided to move a resolution seeking implementation of inner line permit in the state.
CEM HS Shylla said on Tuesday the executive committee will hold a special session to move the resolution asking the governor to notify the implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier (Regulation), 1873.
The inner line permit is derived from this British law, also known as Regulation 5 of 1873.
Shylla said the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) had submitted a memorandum to the government seeking inner line permit. Last year, Under Secretary W Rapthap had forwarded a letter to the KHADC in this regard.
“The main demand of the HYC was the inner line permit (ILP). The file was kept aside and the previous CEM did not do anything about it,” Shylla told reporters.
The letter prompted the KHADC to look up the Adaptation Laws, 1952, the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Application of Laws, regulations), 1952.
“The Acts notified have been kept under the jurisdiction of the KHADC which was then the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills. The Bengal Eastern Frontier (Regulation), 1873 is one among the Acts,” Shylla said.
“Since it falls within the purview of the notified act of the KHADC, the EC has decided to pass a resolution in the House for which a special session will be called to urge the governor to notify implementation of Bengal Eastern Frontier (Regulation), 1873. Once it is implemented, the ILP gets implemented,” he added.
Shylla also pointed to the initiative related to village and town police of 1991 which was passed when late HSPDP leader HS Lyngdoh was the CEM. But it was returned by the government.
“Not many differences are seen while comparing the Village and Town Police of JHADC. We will rectify it and then send it to the government,” he said, adding, “Since, we will be able to implement ILP, there is a need for the governor to approve the Village and Town Police as we need our police personnel to man the check-gates.”