SHILLONG: The amended version of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act is all set to take its effect after the Cabinet on Friday approved an ordinance in this regard.
The ordinance replaces the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRRSA), 2016 after it was amended.
Talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the amendment of the existing Act in the form of an ordinance will come into force immediately and it will be regularised in the next Assembly session,” Tynsong said.
The regularisation is required since the validity of the ordinance is only six months.
Stating that the focal point of MRRSA, 2016 was about the tenants where instructions were issued to all the landlords to register the tenants, Tynsong added that with the new Bill, everyone who intends to visit the state will have to register themselves.
Exemption to permanent non-tribal residents
Tynsong also clarified that the non-tribals, who are permanent residents of the state, will not come under the purview of the new amended Act.
“The permanent residents of Meghalaya whether they are tribals or non-tribals need not worry. This Act is meant for people who intend to visit the state as tourists, labourers and also those come for business transactions and other purposes. They will have to comply with certain guidelines under the new Act,” Tynsong said.
Govt staff not under Act
Replying to a query, Tynsong said the central government employees are exempted from the purview of the Act.
“We have one proviso under Section 4 (a) which states any person who is not a resident of Meghalaya and intends to stay for more than 24 hours in Meghalaya should furnish information in the manner prescribed under the rules. Then the proviso states the above provisions should not apply to the central government employees, state government or local authorities,” the deputy chief minister said.
When asked about the penalty against people who violate the Act, he said any person who willfully fails to furnish information or provide false information as required as per the Act, will be liable to be punished under Section 176 or 177 of the IPC, 1860.
To a question on the opposition of the Congress to the proposed amendment, he said he was not very sure why the Congress is opposing the move of the state government.
When asked about the difference between the new Act and the ILP, Tynsong said, “I cannot say anything on the ILP”.
The deputy chief minister said he fails to understand as to why the NGOs are again mentioning about the ILP even as he added that the NGOs wanted the existing Act with some more teeth and hence with this objective, the government brought the amendment which is inclusive.
“We have included everybody and not only the tenants in this amended Act,” Tynsong said.
The deputy chief minister said the government will be coming up with the rules to make sure that the whole process of registration should not take a long time.
Visitors can
register online
“The exercise for registration of visitors will be done online. We are going to entrust this job to the District Task Force. The commissioners and SPs need to be more proactive once instructions are given to their respective areas,” Tynsong said. When asked about the documents, which the people who are visiting the state require to submit, he said the government would first draft the rules of the Act.
“We will be redrafting the rules and make sure that the rule is very simple and the procedure needs to be shortened,” he said.
Tynsong said the government is also examining the need to enhance the manpower of the District Task Force.
