Meghalaya mulls strengthening MRSSA or enacting new law to tackle infiltration

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 10, 2025

The state government is examining the option of either strengthening the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 or come up with a new legislation to ensure safety of travellers in Meghalaya keeping in mind the changing dynamics and rising cases of infiltration from Bangladesh.  

MDA government spokesperson and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh told reporters on Wednesday that the issue was discussed in a meeting chaired by the deputy chief minister in-charge home (police) Prestone Tynsong three days back.

“We have also taken up the possibility of either amending the MRSSA or coming up with an entirely new legislation which will focus entirely on the subject of ensuring safety to travellers in Meghalaya also keeping in view the changing dynamics, the geopolitical scenario, the rising cases of infiltration from Bangladesh, the rise of Islamic forces inimical to India in that country. All these are will be areas of concern which will inform our effort to give the MRSSA more teeth or to come up with an entirely new Act,” Lyngdoh said.

In regards to the MRSSA, he informed that there are two queries raised by the Governor and the government has decided to soon file its response.  “The two queries are those relating to whether having facilitation centre will impede the flow of traffic, whether will it will result in harassment, then there was also this bit about part of the MRSSA which mentioned anti-social elements, so how, what is the definition of anti-social elements…,” Lyngdoh added.