BJP in favour, VPP wants more teeth
SHILLONG, July 14: The Meghalaya government is set to introduce what is effectively a virtual Inner Line Permit (ILP) system through compulsory registration of all tourists and visitors entering the state, a move announced by Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira that will require every outsider to register at dedicated centres, undergo verification of identity, antecedents and purpose of visit, and produce valid documents before proceeding.
The first such centre will come up at Umling in Ri-Bhoi, with similar facilities planned across the state.
Officials have described the system as a structured mechanism to maintain real-time records of arrivals, monitor movement and check illegal entry under the guise of tourism.
The Umling facility is also proposed to house a food court for visitors waiting during registration — a plan that has already drawn objections from the Khasi Students’ Union.
The Meghalaya BJP has firmly backed the initiative. State BJP general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna said the party supports the government’s efforts against illegal immigration and views the Umling facilitation and tourist registration centre as an essential component of a stronger strategy to protect the state’s indigenous communities.
He insisted, however, that existing measures must be significantly strengthened through stricter enforcement, technology-driven surveillance and closer coordination with central security agencies.
Pohshna called for zero-line fencing along the India-Bangladesh border wherever feasible, deployment of modern surveillance technology and enhanced coordination among security agencies to improve border management and protect farmers in border areas.
While reiterating its long-standing demand for the Inner Line Permit, the BJP said any decision must rest on constitutional provisions, credible data and a careful assessment of wider implications.
The Voice of the People Party (VPP), on the other hand, has demanded clear legal clarity. Spokesperson A.W. Rani said the party had taken note of media reports on the mandatory tourist registration plan at Umling.
While acknowledging that the objective of protecting Meghalaya’s interests may be genuine, the VPP asserted that any measure regulating entry into the state must be backed by a clear legal framework.
The party questioned under which provisions of law the government intended to enforce compulsory registration of tourists and visitors, and urged it to make the relevant legal provisions public if the initiative rests on existing legislation.
Transparency and accountability, the VPP stressed, are fundamental to good governance, and any regulatory mechanism affecting the movement of people must have a sound legal foundation.
