What is Inner Line Permit (ILP)

What is Inner Line Permit (ILP)?

1. If you’re an outsider and want to travel to MiNA (Mizoram,
Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh), you’ll need this Inner Line
permit (a type of certificate/paper).
2. Even if you’re an Indian citizens and wish to travel to these
places, you’ll need an ILP.
3. This provision was made by Britishers under an Act called as
Bengal Frontier Provision Act,1873.
4. An outsider cannot take away any rubber, wax, ivory or other
forest product (or any book, diary, manuscript, map, picture,
photograph, film, curio or article of religious or scientific
interest outside these inner line permit areas.
5. This ILP provision was made to give special protection to the
indigenous people.
**** What’re the Implications of ILP?
1. ILP certificate can be used only for travel and not for
permanent residency in the area.
2. Outsiders cannot buy property in the state.
3. Inter-caste marriages are not possible as residences of
outsiders are not permitted.
4. There is no competition among the backward tribes and
inflowing foreigners.
5. Although such provisions though are not valid for Central
govt employees, security personal, etc.
**** Pro ILP arguments for Manipur...
# Inner line permit should be implemented in Manipur because
# (i) competition increased :
1. After independence, the influx of foreigners/non-locals/
outsiders in Manipur has increased exponentially. This has led to
increased competition (in jobs, business, election) among locals
and outsiders.
2. Foreigners like the Bangladeshi, the Nepalese and the
Myanmarese have started standing for local elections and some
of them have also emerged victorious!
3. Local youth has to compete with outsiders for state
Government jobs, college admissions.
4. Influx of outsiders, changes the demographic structure of
the state= in long term, this could post to reservation quota for
scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
#(ii) social problems:
5. Outsiders bring their language and culture. It poses threat
to Manipuri language, scripts and local dialects.
6. Drug trafficking cases, incidents of rape and other crimes in
the State have become more rampant due to the inflow of
outsiders into Manipur.
7. Manipur is one of the six high HIV prevalence states in the
country. The influx of migrants is worsening this problem.
8. Lands in tribal belts and blocks are being occupied by non-
tribals and Bangladeshis, but the government machineries have
done nothing to protect these lands from the encroachers.
9. Since the NE states are already backward in areas of
education, infrastructure, etc such a competition has been
passing onto the even younger generations.
10. The recent violent riots in Assam is an example on how if
immigration is unchecked can lead to severe problems.
11. Outsiders are ready to work for lower wages. This makes
difficult for the local Manipuri tribals to get any employment.
#(iii) Valid demand :
12. ILP system is already in place in MiNA (Mizoram, Nagaland,
Arunachal Pradesh), then why should it not be implemented in
Manipur, which is in the same geographical area, facing similar
problems for immigration.
13. ILP system doesn’t prohibit outsiders from entering into a
state. It merely requires them to get registered so they can be
easily identified.
14. Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India
or any part there of having a distinct language, script or
culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.
This demand is therefore constitutional and legal.