Meghalaya Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh has said that the demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state remains very much alive, with ongoing discussions between the state government and the Centre.

Lyngdoh said that the Centre’s hesitation stems from administrative and logistical concerns rather than ideological opposition.

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“The Centre’s concern is not with the concept of ILP per se, but with how it can be implemented effectively, given the unique geographical and constitutional dynamics of Meghalaya,” he added.

The Inner Line Permit is a colonial-era mechanism designed to regulate the entry of non-residents into certain protected and tribal areas of the Northeast, with the aim of safeguarding indigenous communities.

Currently, ILP is in force in four Northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and most recently, Manipur. Meghalaya, despite repeated demands, has yet to be granted the system.

The Meghalaya state’s legislative assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in December 2019 urging the central government to implement ILP under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

However, over five years have passed without a green light from New Delhi, triggering widespread protests and persistent advocacy by civil society groups, student bodies like the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).