Inner Line permit: Analysis

What is an Inner Line Permit?

An Inner Line Permit is an official travel document required by Indian citizens to visit or stay in states and regions where it is applicable. Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland (except the city of Dimapur) are currently under the ILP system, and Indian citizens who do not belong to these regions need to have the document to visit or stay.

Outsiders cannot overstay the timeline mentioned in their permits.

Different types of permits are provided — for tourists, for tenants and for other employment purposes, based on the period of stay.

The system is an offshoot of the colonial-era Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873. The British had brought in these regulations to protect the commercial interest of the crown by regulating entry and exit of Indian citizens from outside these regions for the purpose of trade.

After Independence, the Government of India chose to keep the ILP to protect the interests of the indigenous tribal communities of the Northeast. The words, “British subjects (Indians)”, in the original regulations were replaced by “Citizen of India”.

What’re the Implications of ILP?

ILP certificate can be used only for travel and not for permanent residency in the area. Outsiders cannot buy property in the state. Inter-caste marriages are not possible as residences of outsiders are not permitted. There is no competition among the backward tribes and inflowing foreigners. Although such provisions though are not valid for Central govt employees, security personal, etc.

The case of Manipur and other states

The majority Meitei community of Manipur has continuously demanded the implementation of ILP in the state. The Manipur People’s Protection Bill, 2018 seeks to regulate the inflow of outsiders from other Indian states and defines “Manipuris” and “non-Manipuris”.

The bill was unanimously passed in the state assembly and now awaits the President’s approval.

The North East Student’s Union (NESO), an umbrella organisation for students’ unions, had demanded the implementation of ILP in all states of the region last month.

Assam and Tripura, which share the longest border with Bangladesh in the region, do not have the ILP system in place. The percentage of tribals in Assam is comparatively lower than its neighbouring states, according to the 2011 Census. The tribal population in Assam and Tripura is protected by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which may be exempted from the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Further, a series of discussions are being held by a high-level committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to define “Assamese” under Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, to protect the identity and ethnicity of the non-tribal Assamese population.

Pro ILP arguments for Manipur

Inner line permit should be implemented in Manipur because

1: competition increased

1. After independence, the influx of foreigners/non-locals/outsiders in Manipur has increased exponentially. This has led to increased competition (in jobs, business, election) among locals and outsiders.
2. Foreigners like the Bangladeshi, the Nepalese and the Myanmarese have started standing for local elections and some of them have also emerged victorious!
3. Local youth has to compete with outsiders for state Government jobs, college admissions.
4. Influx of outsiders, changes the demographic structure of the state= in long term, this could post to reservation quota for scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

2:social problems

5. Outsiders bring their language and culture. It poses threat to Manipuri language, scripts and local dialects.
6. Drug trafficking cases, incidents of rape and other crimes in the State have become more rampant due to the inflow of outsiders into Manipur.
7. Manipur is one of the six high HIV prevalence states in the country. The influx of migrants is worsening this problem.
8. lands in tribal belts and blocks are being occupied by non-tribals and Bangladeshis, but the government machineries have done nothing to protect these lands from the encroachers.
9. Since the NE states are already backward in areas of education, infrastructure, etc such a competition has been passing onto the even younger generations.
10. The recent violent riots in Assam is an example on how if immigration is unchecked can lead to severe problems.
11. Outsiders are ready to work for lower wages. This makes difficult for the local Manipuri tribals to get any employment.

3: Valid demand

12. ILP system is already in place in MiNA (Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh), then why should it not be implemented in Manipur, which is in the same geographical area, facing similar problems for immigration.
13. ILP system doesn’t prohibit outsiders from entering into a state. It merely requires them to get registered so they can be easily identified.
14. Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same. This demand is therefore constitutional and legal.

Anti ILP argument

1. The North Eastern states lack labour and trained professionals. (Doctors, CAs etc.) Hence ILP permit will be a setback for the already under-developed region.
2. Migration is an issue for all regions in the country. It is unavoidable.
3. The problem of illegal migrants (Bangladeshi, Nepali, Burmese) can be tackled easily by increasing the border security. Therefore, ILP is not necessary. 4. If ILP system is implemented in Manipur, other states will also start demanding the same, this political propaganda will be harmful for national integration.

Relation between ILP and Citizenship Amendment Bill

The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to amend the existing Citizenship Act, 1955 to enable non-Muslim refugees — specifically Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.

Initially tabled in the Lok Sabha in 2016, the bill was reviewed by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), and then passed by the Lower House in January 2019. However, due to massive protests against the bill, it couldn’t be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Now, if the bill is passed and implemented, with the ILP system also in place, it would mean the refugees who are granted citizenship under the new act will not be permitted to settle in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

However, nothing related to the Citizenship Amendment Bill is clearly stated under Meghalaya’s new law, so it is unclear if the ILP restrictions will be applicable to that state.