SC seeks Manipur’s reply on plea against Inner Line Permit
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Manipur Government to respond in eight weeks to a petition challenging the state’s Inner Line Permit (ILP) system that restricted entry and exit of non-permanent residents of the state.
A Bench led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy gave eight weeks to Manipur after the state government’s counsel sought time to file its response to the petition filed by ‘Amra Bangalee’. The top court had issued notice to the state government on January 3, 2022.
Introduced by the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 2019, which extended the 140-year-old “colonial legislation” Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873 (BEFR), the ILP system originally created a monopoly over tea plantations in Assam. It was aimed to protect British commercial interests in the hilly areas as the BEFR prohibited Indians from engaging in trade with the tribal people in the areas covered under it. In those days, Assam was a part of Bengal.
By a 2019 order, the ILP system was made applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and districts of Nagaland notified from time to time.
The petitioner alleged that the 2019 order went against the fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 (right to equality, right to non-discrimination, right to freely move across India and right to personal liberty) of the Constitution as it gave unqualified powers to the state to restrict the entry and exit of non-indigenous persons.
“The draconian ILP system is fundamentally opposed to the policies of social integration, development and technological advancement in the area beyond the Inner Line, apart from hampering tourism within the state, which is a major source of revenue generation for these areas,” the petitioner said.
“The effect of the ILP system in Manipur is that no person who is not a resident is permitted to enter the state or engage in business there without applying for a special permit known as “Inner Line Permit”, the petitioner submitted.
About ILP system
No person who is not a resident of Manipur can enter the state or engage in business there without applying for a special permit known as Inner Line Permit or ILP.
