SC issues notice to Centre, Manipur govt on plea against Inner Line Permit

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and the Manipur government on a plea questioning the validity of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), restricting the entry of non-indigenous people to the state.

A bench of Justices Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari sought a response from the Union and Manipur governments to the petition filed by an organisation 'Amra Bangalee'.

The plea contended the system was draconian and 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, a major source of revenue generation for these areas.

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The plea claimed that the system violated fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, which provided unqualified power to the State for restricting the entry and exit of non-indigenous persons.

Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873 (BEFR) was brought in Assam to create monopoly on tea plantation and protect it from rest of Indians.

The Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 2019 (2019 order) extended the ILP system to States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and districts of Nagaland as notified from time to time.

"The effect of 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 petition stated.

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