Inner Line Permit regime extended to Manipur; President Ram Nath Kovind signs order

Two days after Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Manipur will be included in the inner line permit (ILP) regime, President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the order to confirm the same on Wednesday.

Manipur becomes the fourth state after Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram where the ILP regime has been made applicable. To visit the ILP-regime states, outsiders, including people from other states of India, need to take permission. Notice in this regard was issued by the Home Ministry.

Home Minister Amit Shah on December 9 had said after Manipur is brought under the ILP regime, in this way, the problems of all the northeastern states would be taken care of, as mentioned in the Citizenship Bill. He had also reassured that no provision of Article 371 would be violated by the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

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About the ILP regime

While last month, the Meghalaya government proposed a state machinery system to keep a tab on people visiting the state, it is not equivalent to the ILP system. As per the provisions of the ILP system, anyone who is a non-native of the state needs to obtain a special permit called the Inner Line Permit to visit the State. 

The Home Ministry's move to give ILP provisions to Manipur, however, is being seen as a move to appease the people of the state, who are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Many commentators are of the opinion that the timing of the ILP introduction is to divide the organisations that are opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill. It may be mentioned that ILP was a long-pending demand of several Manipur organizations and even many attained martyrdom in demand of ILP. 

READ | Domestic Tourists To Nagaland Can Now Obtain ILP Online

ILP can be obtained online

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday launched a portal to provide Inner Line Permit (ILP) to domestic tourists online.
The ILP is required by non-Nagas to visit Nagaland. Dimapur is the only district in the state which is not under the purview of the ILP. The web portal, www.ilp.nagaland.gov.in. will ease the process of getting an ILP by any domestic tourist from anywhere in the country, Principal Secretary and Commissioner Nagaland, Abhijit Sinha said.