Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma clarified that there was no work permit system in Meghalaya and hence any Indian national is free to work in the state.

The statement from Sangma came in response to reports of pressure groups acting like vigilantes by checking the work permits of external labourers in the state. Seeking to clear the air on the ongoing document checks by these groups in Shillong, he said the state does not enforce a work permit system.

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Reports about some labourers being sent back to their home states surfaced after incidents of violence and even deaths with the police intervention remaining minimal.

Despite the government’s assurances of action after each incident, public concern persists. The Labour Department registers labourers for safety and record-keeping purposes.

Sangma reiterated that no individual or group is authorised to conduct these checks, deeming such actions illegal. He disclosed that four cases have been filed against various pressure groups involved in recent document checks.

The Khasi Students’ Union has defended their actions, citing the government’s failure to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).

Sangma explained that the ILP is not enforced by the state, and the MRSSA proposal, sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, was returned with concerns currently under review by the state government.