SC asks Centre to respond to Inner Line Permit system in Manipur

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 3

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the Manipur Government to respond to a petition challenging the state’s Inner Line Permit (ILP) system that restricted entry and exit of non-permanent residents of the state.

Issuing notice on the petition filed by ‘Amra Bangalee’, a Bench led by Justice Abdul Nazeer posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

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 Indian 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 the State of Manipur is that no person who is not a resident of the said State 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.