Nagaland mulls ILP Enforcement Directorate to clamp down on unchecked immigration

• KOHIMA — Nagaland government is considering setting up of an Enforcement Directorate for implementation of the Inner Line Permit system in the state, in response to growing concerns over unchecked immigration and poor enforcement mechanisms.
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• This plan was drawn up after ‘thorough deliberation’ on ILP regulations at the state Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday in Kohima.
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• Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister for Power and Parliamentary Affairs KG Kenye said the proposed enforcement directorate would be structured without creating new posts, thereby avoiding any additional financial burden on the state’s exchequer.
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• Instead, existing officials from various departments will be pooled and organised into a multi-tiered enforcement body, working in close coordination with the administration and police.
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• “We are serious about it (ILP),” Kenye stated, adding that a Cabinet sub-committee will meet again soon to review the situation and expedite the process. “Even before the formal structure is in place, the police and administration have already been instructed to begin checks.”

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• The Cabinet has also recommended that a team be sent to neighbouring states like Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to study their ILP enforcement models. Kenye noted that those states have already digitised and streamlined their systems, and Nagaland could adopt similar best practices to improve its own framework.
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• He further revealed that the government is also considering a tracking system to monitor the movement of illegal immigrants, especially in light of rising infiltration from neighbouring regions.
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• Kenye highlighted the particular threat posed by Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants (IBIs) entering the state through Assam. “There was a time when we were very vocal, but enforcement weakened, and that allowed several vices to creep in,” he said.
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• The minister maintained that Nagaland must fully utilise the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873, which provides the legal basis for ILP, though procedural delays and lack of coordination have hampered enforcement.
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• He also touched on the pending implementation of the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN), acknowledging that some confusion exists around defining indigenous status, especially when tribal communities are spread across multiple states.
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• “There is a need to bifurcate and identify who are genuine locals of the state. Even within the same tribe, not everyone qualifies under Nagaland's local criteria,” Kenye said.
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• The state, he noted, must balance this with the influx of tourists, business travellers, and workforce migrants, ensuring that genuine visitors are not unduly harassed while curbing unauthorised settlers.
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• He pointed out that ILP permits come with different durations—weekly, fortnightly, monthly, and a maximum of three to six months. The state is cautious not to allow prolonged stays, as longer durations could result in eligibility for voting rights under constitutional provisions.
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• “These concerns must be carefully addressed as we move forward with ILP enforcement,” Kenye stressed.
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• Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Nagaland has announced that the ILP application process has moved online as of January 1, 2025. Applicants can now apply through https://ilp.nagaland.gov.in or the Commissioner’s official website, https://commissioner.nagaland.gov.in/online-ilp.