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.
This plan was drawn up after ‘thorough deliberation’ on ILP
regulations at the state Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday in Kohima.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
“These concerns must be carefully addressed as we move
forward with ILP enforcement,” Kenye stressed.
