By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 2: The Meghalaya BJP on Friday urged the state and the central governments to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) to secure the state from illegal immigrants, arguing that it would be a potent anti-influx measure if implemented effectively.
State BJP general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna said that discussions on introducing an “ILP-like mechanism” in Meghalaya lack clarity regarding its exact nature and practical implementation.
Pohshna recalled that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has already passed a resolution in December 2019 demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
He highlighted the existence of the MRSSA, urging the government to focus on effectively enforcing this existing law instead of pursuing new proposals without detailed plans.
He argued that proper implementation of the MRSSA could adequately address concerns related to regulation and monitoring of influx.
The Act aims to decentralise detection and monitoring to the grassroots level by empowering local authorities to maintain registers and establish mechanisms for identifying and registering tenants and non-local residents.
Pohshna emphasised that mandatory tenant registration at the local level would be more impactful than vague proposals.
He, however, admitted that he has not yet reviewed the specifics of the proposed ILP-like provisions and could not comment on them in detail.
Currently, the ILP-like mechanism remains a proposal, while the MRSSA is an established legal tool capable of achieving similar regulatory objectives if enforced rigorously, he added.
It may be added that the Union government has responded favourably to Meghalaya’s proposal to introduce an Inner Line Permit-style protection for the state by leveraging provisions of the newly enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
Revealing the same, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, earlier this week, said the issue was taken up during a recent meeting in New Delhi between Amit Shah and a state delegation led by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
According to him, discussions covered multiple matters, with particular focus on adapting the new central legislation to serve the same purpose as the ILP in Meghalaya.
Tynsong said the state had proposed incorporating a provision within the Immigration and Foreigners Act that would mirror the existing ILP framework, effectively allowing Meghalaya to function as a protected or restricted area under the Act.
