Permit Needed, Panic Not
After much pressure from CSOs to extend the ILP system to Dimapur in order to address the alleged unregulated influx of undocumented immigrants in the district.
- After much pressure from civil society organisations (CSOs)
to extend the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to Dimapur in order to address the
alleged unregulated influx of undocumented immigrants in the district, the
government of Nagaland has finally responded to this popular demand. In an
order dated May 27, the deputy commissioner of Dimapur announced the immediate
implementation of the system in the district, outlining the procedures,
categories, validity, fee structures, and documentation requirements for
obtaining the permit. This announcement followed a week after the DC stated
that the proposed online implementation of the ILP system in Dimapur,
Chümoukedima, and Niuland districts was set to proceed after a meeting with
community leaders. With this move, the entire state of Nagaland is now under
the ILP system. To enter the districts, foreigners and residents from other
states must now present the document, which can only be obtained online through
the government’s dedicated portal for ILP applications. For residents of
Assam’s border districts—Karimganj, Hailakandi, Dima Hasao, and Karbi
Anglong—the order specifies that a copy of the National Register of Citizens
(NRC) entry along with standard ILP documents is required.
- While this move may raise concerns and confusion, the ILP is
not a new concept. It has been implemented in the state (with the exception of
the undivided Dimapur) since 1873, under the Bengal Eastern Frontier
Regulation. Similar regulations are in place in several north-eastern states, including
Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram. Therefore, the extension of this
regulation to Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland districts should not be a
cause for alarm. What is needed is the judicious execution of the system
without causing inconvenience or panic. The application process should be
hassle-free and accessible 24/7. The police and district administration, tasked
with verifying the documents, should carry out their duties diligently while
avoiding harassment in the name of enforcement. To prevent undesirable
incidents, the involvement of third parties, unscrupulous individuals, and
unauthorised bodies should be monitored. There could be many undocumented
immigrants who have been living and working in the state for decades, as well
as others who have failed to apply for the ILP due to sheer ignorance. For
these individuals, it is essential to create awareness through community
involvement and other outreach programmes. They should be informed about the
purpose of the regulation: that it is primarily to protect and safeguard the
identity, culture, and traditions of the indigenous people of Nagaland. The
fact is that anyone, including foreigners, can travel, work, and establish
businesses in the state, provided they possess an ILP document, which is easily
obtainable online. This information should be communicated to the general
public.
