KSU reiterates demand for implementation of ILP in Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 2, 2025

The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has reiterated its demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya, a long-pending demand that dates back to 1987.

According to KSU General Secretary Donald V Thabah, the union has been sending memoranda to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, but their demands seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Thabah stated that while the central government claims to be examining the issue, the KSU is still waiting for the implementation of ILP.

He also emphasized the importance of implementing the Meghalaya Regulation of Scheduled Tribes (MRSSA) Act, which was passed in 2016 but has yet to be fully operationalized.

The KSU feels that the MRSSA is crucial for protecting the indigenous people of the state, and its implementation would be more effective with the introduction of ILP.

Thabah also expressed concerns about the introduction of railways in the state without adequate mechanisms to protect the indigenous population from becoming a minority in their own land.

He cited the example of Nagaland, which has implemented ILP, and suggested that similar modalities could be worked out for people entering Meghalaya and traveling to other parts of India.

The KSU will continue to push for the implementation of ILP and MRSSA, emphasizing the need to protect the rights and interests of the indigenous people of Meghalaya, Thabah stated.